App-based data collection, mental imagery, and naming performance in adults with aphasia

How Game Features and Treatment-Related Factors Facilitate Generalization in Technology-Based Aphasia Rehabilitation: A Systematic Review

BackgroundNowadays, developers offer mobile applications for aphasia treatment. Although their overall effectiveness and acceptance by the target audience was proved, it has not been established what aspects of technology-based aphasia rehabilitation facilitate these improvements and translate into generalization.ObjectiveThe objectives were to analyze what technology- and treatment-related factors, including treatment dose, intensity and duration, affect treatment efficacy and facilitate generalization.MethodsThe PubMed and ScienceDirect databases were searched in February 2024. The review included experimental articles testing mobile- or computer-based applications for aphasia rehabilitation. Studies were excluded if they described AAC techniques or assistive tools, or focused solely on quality of life. ROB-2 was used to assess risk of bias in the included randomized controlled trials.ResultsEighteen articles meeting the inclusion criteria were analyzed. The key factors increasing the therapy effect and leading to generalization were automatic feedback, diversity of the tasks employed in the training, longer periods of treatment, and interaction between the user and the clinician.ConclusionsTechnology-based aphasia treatment is an effective therapy tool. Contact with the clinician, simultaneous practice targeted at various language domains and executive functions, as well as feedback, positively influence outcomes. The review, however, has limitations, as it lacks statistical analysis and synthesizes heterogeneous data.

Co-design for stroke intervention development: Results of a scoping review

BACKGROUND

Co-design methodology seeks to actively engage end-users in developing interventions. It is increasingly used to design stroke interventions; however, limited guidance exists, particularly with/for individuals with stroke who have diverse cognitive, physical and functional abilities. Thus, we describe 1) the extent of existing research that has used co-design for stroke intervention development and 2) how co-design has been used to develop stroke interventions among studies that explicitly used co-design, including the rationale, types of co-designed stroke interventions, participants involved, research methodologies/approaches, methods of incorporating end-users in the research, co-design limitations, challenges and potential strategies reported by researchers.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A scoping review informed by Joanna Briggs Institute and Arksey & O'Malley methodology was conducted by searching nine databases on December 21, 2022, to locate English-language literature that used co-design to develop a stroke intervention. Additional data sources were identified through a hand search. Data sources were de-duplicated, and two research team members reviewed their titles, abstracts and full text to ensure they met the inclusion criteria. Data relating to the research objectives were extracted, analyzed, and reported numerically and descriptively.

RESULTS

Data sources used co-design for stroke intervention development with (n = 89) and without (n = 139) explicitly using the term 'co-design.' Among studies explicitly using co-design, it was commonly used to understand end-user needs and generate new ideas. Many co-designed interventions were technology-based (65%), and 48% were for physical rehabilitation or activity-based. Co-design was commonly conducted with multiple participants (82%; e.g., individuals with stroke, family members/caregivers and clinicians) and used various methods to engage end-users, including focus groups and workshops. Limitations, challenges and potential strategies for recruitment, participant-engagement, contextual and logistical and ethics of co-designed interventions were described.

CONCLUSIONS

Given the increasing popularity of co-design as a methodology for developing stroke interventions internationally, these findings can inform future co-designed studies.