Effects of Adaptive Distributed Practice and Stimuli Variability in Flashcard-Based Anomia Treatment

EasyChair Preprint 6543

Abstract

Introduction: There is a need to improve treatment efficiency for people with aphasia (PwA). The current study examined whether computer-based Anki flashcard software using adaptive distributed practice and stimuli variability could successfully train more words (120) than are typically targeted in anomia treatments (e.g., ≤ 40 words, Snell et al., 2010).
Methods: Two participants with post-stroke aphasia completed an anomia intervention in a single-subject multiple baseline design. Naming probes consisted of 40 untrained and 120 trained words balanced across 3 stimuli conditions: low vs. high picture variability (1 vs. 3 trained pictures for each target word) and written/auditory verbal description. Participants were taught to use Anki during sessions 2x/week for two weeks, followed by daily independent practice and treatment 1x/week for 10 weeks. Naming performance was assessed via 3 baseline probes, weekly treatment probes, and follow-up probes at 1, 4, and 12 weeks post-treatment. Effect sizes and statistical comparisons used Bayesian generalized mixed-effect models.
Results: Compared to direct training effects in previous anomia treatments, participants showed excellent acquisition and retention three months post-treatment for both trained and untrained picture exemplars. There were no effects of stimuli variability.
Conclusions: These case studies suggest that combining effortful retrieval and adaptive distributed practice is a highly effective way to re-train more words than can typically be targeted during anomia treatment. The treatment resulted in stimulus generalization across conditions, indicating improved lexical access beyond what could be attributed to simple stimulus-response mapping.  Finally, this treatment relies on open-source flashcard software and home practice, making it feasible for clinical implementation.

Keyphrases: anomia treatment, distributed practice, stimuli variability

@booklet{EasyChair:6543,
  author    = {William Evans and Yina Quique Buitrago and Rob Cavanaugh and Erica Lescht},
  title     = {Effects of Adaptive Distributed Practice and Stimuli Variability in Flashcard-Based Anomia Treatment},
  howpublished = {EasyChair Preprint 6543},
  year      = {EasyChair, 2021}}