Comparing telepractice vs in-person communication treatment groups for people with aphasia

What is it about?

Conversation treatment for people with aphasia can improve language skills and quality of life. This paper examines the effects of conversation group treatment via telepractice on measures of language function and patient-reported outcomes compared to in-person and no-treatment control group data.

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Photo by Chris Montgomery on Unsplash

Photo by Chris Montgomery on Unsplash

Why is it important?

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the greater use of telepractice treatment delivery for speech-language pathologists. However, there is little evidence regarding the efficacy of telepractice conversation groups. It is critical that research is conducted to understand their effectiveness relative to the in-person format. Thus, this study aimed to understand the benefits of conversation group treatment of people with aphasia delivered via telepractice. With a systematic replication of DeDe et al.’s 2019 treatment protocol using a telepractice delivery model, data can be compared to historical, location-matched, in-person and no-treatment control group data (DeDe et al., 2019; Hoover et al., 2021). This systematic replication will thus allow a comparison between the delivery method (telehealth vs in-person) to determine the effect of telepractice on language impairment and quality of life in people with aphasia.