EFFECTS OF VERBAL PLUS GESTURAL MATRIX TRAINING ON SENTENCE PRODUCTION IN A PATIENT WITH PRIMARY PROGRESSIVE APHASIA

This research examined the effectiveness of verbal plus gestural treat ment on the acquisition and generalization of present, past and future verb tenses in NP + V + NP sentence production in a primary progressi ve aphasic subject. Using a single-subject multiple-baseline design ac ross behaviours as well as a matrix training procedure, treatment and generalization effects both within and across language matrices were e xamined. The relation between gestural and verbal responding was also examined post-hoc using a modified reversal design component. Results indicated improved production of sentences utilizing trained verb tens es and generalization to untrained verbs within tense. Paired gestural plus verbal responding resulted in higher levels of correct oral sent ence production than verbal training alone. Findings are discussed in the context of brain mechanisms underlying gestural and verbal languag e production.