Therapy for Word-Finding (Part 1): Aphasia Treatment Approaches

Traditionally the treatment of word-finding difficulties has focused on an errorful approach in which the individual is shown a picture of an object and asked to name it, with the risk of encountering difficulty. Often a hierarchy of cues is used in order the help the individual which may include a definition of the word, a sentence completion cue, the first sound or the first letter.

Errorless learning is an alternative treatment approach in which the individual is shown a picture and is immediately given its name verbally and/or in written form. Using an errorless learning treatment approach means that the individual does not encounter any struggle when trying to name an item, and is prevented from reinforcing their own errors.

Research has found that both errorless and errorful treatment approaches have resulted in improvements in naming skills for individuals with aphasia with many preferring the errorless method as they found it less frustrating.

Did you know that the Naming Toolbox and Verb Toolbox apps both include the Repeat activity which uses an errorless learning approach to treat word-finding difficulties?

Naming Toolbox adopts an errorless learning treatment approach for nouns.  The app says the name of the item three times and asks the user to tap it out and repeat it three times.

Verb Toolbox adopts an errorless learning treatment approach for verbs. It includes over 100 pictures of people performing actions and a verb test which enables you to find out which specific verbs need to be learned. In the Repeat activity, the app says the name of the verb three times and asks the user to repeat three times.

Naming Toolbox and Verb Toolbox are not only great for use use in clinic, they are also valuable tools for home practice. Using the apps in home practice increases the independence of the individual with aphasia, supports more intensive practice and effectively reduces the workload of the treating clinician.