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Purpose: The purpose of this investigation was to systematically examine outcomes associated with Semantic feature analysis, which is an established treatment for wordretrieval deficits in aphasia. Attributes of the experimental design and stimuli were manipulated to evaluate generalized naming of semantically related and unrelated items. In addition, the study was designed to examine changes in production of semantic information.
Method: Semantic feature analysis was applied in the context of multiple-baseline designs with 5 persons with chronic aphasia. Experimental items were controlled for semantic category membership, number of naming attempts, and provision of item names. Acquisition, generalization, and maintenance effects were measured in probes of naming performance. Production of semantic information was also measured in response to experimental items and in discourse tasks.
Results: Treatment was associated with systematic increases in naming of trained items for 4 of the 5 participants. Positive generalization to untrained exemplars of trained categories was found for repeatedly exposed items but not for limitedexposure items. Slight increases in production of semantic content were observed.
Conclusion: Repeated attempts to name untreated items appeared to play a role in generalization. Provision of the names of untrained items may have enhanced generalized responding for 2 participants.
Word-retrieval difficulties are a ubiquitous characteristic of aphasia, crossing all aphasia types (Goodglass & Baker, 1976). Impairments in word retrieval may have a significant impact on numerous aspects of communication for persons with aphasia (PWAs) and have often been the focus of aphasia treatment. Treatments for anomia have taken many forms and, as described by Raymer and Rothi (2001), have generally focused on restitution of impaired word-retrieval skills or substitution of skills for circumventing, mediating, or compensating for word-retrieval difficulties. That is, word-retrieval treatments have typically been directed toward remediation of the underlying impairment (restitutive) or designed to promote the use of strategies for working around the impairment (substitutive). Semantic feature analysis (SFA; Boyle & Coelho, 1995; Lowell, Beeson, & Holland, 1995) is a treatment for word retrieval that has the potential to serve restitutive and substitutive functions. SFA includes techniques that may strengthen impaired semantic networks (restitutive) as well as therapeutic processes that may foster use of tactics to circumvent the impairment (substitutive). Although SFA has been repeatedly demonstrated to result in positive changes in naming...