Intervention for Communication Quality of Life in Primary Progressive Aphasia
Intervention to Promote Communication Quality of Life for Persons With Language-Led Dementia and Their Partners: A Randomized Pilot Trial
Maya Henry
30 participants
Apr 1, 2026
INTERVENTIONAL
Conditions
Summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether a personalized, multi-component, virtual speech language treatment program can improve communication and quality of life for adults with primary progressive aphasia (PPA) and their primary communication partners. The study will enroll participants who speak English and/or Spanish. The main questions the study aims to answer are: * Is the telerehabilitation program feasible and acceptable for people with PPA and their study partners? * Do participants with PPA and study partners find treatment beneficial? * What patterns of treatment response are seen in participants? * Which outcome measures are most useful for evaluating changes in communication and quality of life? Researchers will compare participants who receive intervention immediately to participants assigned to a waitlist control group (who will receive treatment after a delay) to see whether participation in the treatment program is associated with improvements in communication and quality of life. Participants will: * Take part in speech language therapy sessions delivered by video visit that combine restorative, compensatory, and partner-focused communication strategies. Treatment may take place after a waiting period. * Receive education and communication training together with their partner. * Complete speech, language, and cognitive assessments. * Complete questionnaires about communication abilities, daily functioning, and quality of life.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria9
- A PPA (Gorno-Tempini et al., 2011) or "PPA-plus" (Mesulam et al., 2001) diagnosis
- MMSE score of 15 or higher and must be able to produce single monosyllabic words intelligibly
- Must speak English, Spanish or both languages (i.e., bilingual speakers of English or Spanish)
- Hearing and vision adequate for participation in teleconference meetings
- Must have a study partner available (someone who will commit to attending teleconference sessions, as needed, during assessment and treatment phases)
- Partners must express willingness to attend and participate in assessment and treatment sessions, including those targeting dyadic communication goals
- Partners must speak English, Spanish or both languages (i.e., bilingual speakers of English or Spanish)
- Partner's hearing and vision should be adequate for participation in teleconference meetings
- The participant and/or study partner must have basic experience using a computer.
Exclusion Criteria2
- Other central nervous system or medical diagnosis that can account for symptoms
- Psychiatric diagnosis that can account for symptoms
Interested in this trial?
Get notified about updates and connect with the research team.
Interventions
In person or via teletherapy: A multi-component treatment incorporating elements of restitutive, compensatory, and care-partner focused interventions. Participants work on producing names of personally relevant targets in multiple communication modalities. Biweekly (45-90 minute) sessions with a clinician target multimodal communication and the use of strategies to support word retrieval. These skills are also trained via daily independent practice. The participant meets six times during the course of treatment with a study partner (e.g., spouse) for communication counseling, education, and practice of communication strategies.
In person or via teletherapy: A multi-component treatment incorporating elements of restitutive, compensatory, and care-partner focused interventions. Treatment focuses on production of individually-tailored, personally relevant scripts. The participant completes 30 minutes per day of independent practice, during which they speak in unison with a video model. Biweekly (45-90 minute) sessions with a clinician target clear and accurate script production, memorization, and conversational usage, as well as multimodal communication. The participant meets six times during the course of treatment with a study partner (e.g., spouse) for communication counseling, education, and practice of communication strategies.
Locations(1)
View Full Details on ClinicalTrials.gov
For the most up-to-date information, visit the official listing.
NCT07219680