EFFECTS OF TREATMENT FOR SOUND ERRORS IN APRAXIA OF SPEECH AND APHASIA

This investigation was designed to examine the acquisition, generaliza tion, and maintenance effects of a treatment for sound errors in speak ers with co-occurring apraxia of speech and aphasia. Three speakers-wi th chronic apraxia of speech and aphasia were studied in the context o f a multiple baseline design across speakers and behaviors. Treatment combined the use of minimal contrast pairs with traditional sound prod uction training techniques such as integral stimulation and articulato ry placement cueing and was applied sequentially to sounds that were d etermined to be consistently in error before training. Results reveale d increased correct sound productions for all speakers in trained and untrained words. Response generalization effects across sounds and sti mulus generalization effects varied, but appeared to be limited for mo st speakers. Although positive maintenance effects were evidenced, som e loss of treatment gains was noted Following cessation of treatment.