Strategy Training for People With Aphasia After Stroke

This pilot study will use a descriptive case series design with repeated measures to assess
the feasibility of an adapted form of strategy training for people with communication
impairments after acute stroke. The investigators will recruit people with aphasia due to
stroke admitted to the inpatient rehabilitation units and administer the adapted form of
strategy training one session per day 5 days per week for 10-15 sessions. The investigators
will assess the feasibility of the intervention based on feedback from participants and
therapists. These data will serve as pilot data to inform the design of a future clinical
trials for people with cognitive impairments after stroke, including people with
communication impairments. These efforts will allow the investigators to test new models to
support optimal interventions for individuals with stroke-related cognitive impairments,
including people with communication impairments who are among those most vulnerable for
long-term disability.

Inclusion Criteria:

- primary diagnosis of acute stroke

- admission to acute rehabilitation

- mild to moderate aphasia but able to understand and express communication with verbal,
written, and/or augmentative communication (score of 1 or 2 on the National Institutes
of Health Stroke Scale item 9, or score 1 to 5 on the Boston Diagnostic Aphasia
Examination Severity Scale)

Exclusion Criteria:

- pre-stroke diagnosis of dementia

- severe global aphasia (Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination Severity Scale score of
0)

- dysarthria as the only communication impairment (score of 1 or 2 two on the National
Institutes of Health Stroke Scale item 10, but score of 0 on item 9)

- current major depressive disorder (unless treated and in partial remission), bipolar
disorder, or any other psychotic disorder (indicated by PRIME-MD)severe global aphasia
(Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination Severity Scale score of 0)