Kiran et al. | 2009

— Purpose —

“…to determine efficacy of a treatment for lexical retrieval that is based on models of lexical processing by utilising abstractness as a mode of complexity.”

— Findings —

Participants: 4 people with anomic aphasia with relatively high language skills.

Baseline measures: Generative Naming (2min), WAB, PALPA, PAPT

Treatment of abstract words in a category demonstrated some generalization vs treatment of concrete words in a category. As hypothesized participants showed more generalization in the abstract treatment condition than the concrete treatment condition, but results were not completely clear cut. Overall, results indicate that treating retrieval of more complex lexical items generalizes to simpler lexical items, but not vice versa.

Treatment steps included:
1. category sorting
2. feature selection
3. yes/no feature questions
4. word recall
5. free generative naming

— Citation —

Kiran, S., Sandberg, C., & Abbott, K. (2009). Treatment for lexical retrieval using abstract and concrete words in persons with aphasia: Effect of complexity. Aphasiology, 23(7–8), 835–853. https://doi.org/10.1080/02687030802588866