Paige Ewen and Tracy Izard, “Unpacking Treatment Intensity: A Systematic Review of Semantic Feature Analysis Studies”
Mentor: Sabine Heuer, Communication Sciences & Disorders, Rehabilitation Sciences & Technology (School of)
Poster #113
Anomia, the difficulty in naming objects, people, and actions significantly impacts communication and quality of life of people with aphasia, a language disorder commonly caused by stroke. Semantic Feature Analysis (SFA) is a treatment approach that enhances word finding by prompting individuals to generate semantic features of a target word using a structured chart. Repeated practice strengthens connections within the semantic network and improves naming abilities. SFA is effective but treatment dose and intensity are poorly defined. The purpose of this systematic review was to determine the dose and intensity of published treatment studies of SFA in terms of volume (how many teaching episodes/trials), frequency (spacing of sessions) and time (duration of sessions and overall treatment). A systematic review was conducted using these inclusion criteria: peer-reviewed single-subject design studies reporting item-level probe data with individuals with aphasia. We searched four databases: CINHL Plus, ERIC, APA PsychInfo, and Medline Plus using the search terms “semantic feature analysis, aphasia, AND treatment OR intervention.” We followed PRISMA guidelines for a title, abstract and article screening. After the studies were identified, treatment and session data were extracted and recorded. Across 11 studies and 73 participants, we report dose, session frequency, various treatment duration measures, and cumulative intensity as defined by the Cumulative Intervention Intensity framework. A wide range of dose and intensity measures were reported. Notably, spacing as an element of treatment intensity has not been systematically examined in any study. To optimize and individualize treatment, greater clarity is needed in defining dose and intensity in SFA and aphasia treatment studies in general. Further research is essential to determine the relationship between high intensity and optimal intensity treatment, as well as the impact of intensity and spacing on acquisition and generalization of treatment outcomes.