Abstract
Background: It has been reported that variability in results after stroke aphasia therapy studies might be related to difference in intensity of therapy provided after stroke. Researchers suggested that intensive treatment approach for short duration of time is effective in chronic stage.
Aim: To determine the efficacy of intensive aphasia therapy in patients with chronic aphasia.
Methods: This descriptive study was carried out at Riphah International University, Lahore from 1st March 2017 to 30th September 2017. A total of 10 patients with chronic aphasia were evaluated Lahore before and after intensive treatment. Efficacy of intensive aphasia therapy was determined by measuring the overall scores from the MS aphasia screening tool applied before and after intensive aphasia therapy. MS aphasia screening tool constitutes receptive and expressive language measures that determine the efficacy of intensive aphasia therapy.
Results: Results indicated that in Paired Samples Statistics the mean for expressive index before treatment was 10.20 +/- 4.94 and expressive index after treatment was 27.80 +/- 2.74. The data showed that there is significant improvement in all areas of expressive index i.e. repetition -3.00 +/- 1.05, p-value .00<.05, writing -3.40 +/- 1.65, p-value .00<.05, automatic speech -3.20 +/- 2.35, p-value .02<.05, verbal fluency -3.40 +/- .97, p-value .02<.05 and naming 4.6 +/-.97, p- value .00<.05. Overall expressive index indicated that there is a significant difference in mean before and after intensive aphasia therapy -17.60 +/- 5.94, p-value .00<.05 due to intense practice.
Conclusion: The findings suggested that massed-practice appears to be efficient for improving language performance of patients with chronic aphasia within a short period of time and that a better outcome could be achieved by using intensive aphasia therapy regimen instead of the same amount of conventional therapy for a longer period.