The Effect of Combining Attention Training Program into Language-based Treatment of Anomia on Word Retrieval: A Case Report

Introduction: The present study is a case report of a 50-year-old man (SM) with aphasia whose word retrieval was severely impaired. The aim of the study was to compare the effect of a combined treatment program (attention training and language treatment) and a single program (language treatment alone) on the naming picture materials. Materials and Methods: This case was affected by a hemorrhagic cerebrovascular accident in the territory of Middle Cerebral Artery branches of the left hemisphere. Two naming treatments, i.e. the single and combined treatments sequentially, were provided for SM; during each of them a 50-item wordlist was practiced (Lists A and B). 12 treatment sessions were implemented for him during each treatment program. These two lists along with another list (List C), left for assessment of generalization of treatments to untrained items, were probed 6 times during and after each program. The whole picture set was normalized in another study described in the text. Results: Our patient’s naming ability progressed during the treatment programs. However, this progression was more salient in combined treatment program. More specifically, List B had the mean score of 34.25 in combined treatment program that was higher than mean of List A in single treatment program (14.5). The slope of List B scores was also higher than that of List A (3.7 vs 1.2). List C showed more generalization of combined treatment to untrained items than single treatment based on its mean scores (27 vs 18.5). Conclusion: the observed improvements of naming ability were felt to be the result of combining attention training into the language treatment which is lead to sustained attention, less distraction and more concentration