A Brief History of Intensive Aphasia Therapy
Intensive aphasia treatment programs began as World War II veterans returned to the United States with head injuries from gunshot and shrapnel wounds. Rehabilitation programs that included intensive therapy were established at cooperative programs between VA Hospitals and University clinics. It was around this time that speech-language pathologists (then called “speech correctionists” or “speech therapists”) began to offer their expertise in speech and language processes, and dedicating it to helping head-injured veterans with speech and language disorders. The therapy programs at that time grew out of educational models. Clients received several hours of individual and group therapy daily that focused on vocational and social goals, such as developing conversational skills or specific job-related skills such as bookkeeping, data entry, and so forth.
Some of these programs continued on over the decades, at places like the Boston VA, Penn State, and the University of Michigan. As the demand for war-related services decreased over the years, most of these programs folded. Specialized aphasia programs continue at the Boston VA and the University of Michigan. Preliminary research on the effectiveness of intensive aphasia treatment was conducted in these early years, during the 1950s and 1960s. A renewed interest in intensive aphasia treatment developed in the 1980s through the current time, resulting in more research on this treatment option. Now, in 2008, the weight of scientific evidence is strongly in favor of the consistently positive of intensive aphasia treatment.
Timeline of Important Events in the Evolution of Intensive Aphasia Therapy in the United States
1940-1945
World War II
World War II Development of rehabilitation centers for returning soliers, including intensive aphasia programs1945 First publication in a speech-language pathology journal about
First publication in a speech-language pathology journal about treating people with aphasia. Backus, O. (1945). The rehabilitation of aphasic veterans. Journal of Speech and Hearing Disorders, 10, 149-153.1948 Continued publications about the treatment of aphasia
Continued publications about the treatment of aphasia1970s Scientific publications reported the positive outcomes of intensive
Scientific publications reported the positive outcomes of intensive programs, including individual and group therapies focused on vocational rehabilitation and community re-entry1980s Most aphasia rehabilitation centers that formed during WWII are
Most aphasia rehabilitation centers that formed during WWII are closed or closing, with some exceptions1981, 1986 Major studies conducted and published through the VA system
showing positive outcomes of individual and group therapy administered 8-10 hours weekly1980-1990s Renewed interest in intensive aphasia therapy results in a few new
clinical programs with attempts to scientifically investigate outcomes of the treatment1998 Meta-analysis published (Robey, 1998) showing that, when analyzed
Meta-analysis published (Robey, 1998) showing that, when analyzed across 55 studies that had been published to that point, the weight of the evidence suggests that more treatment produces better outcomes2001 A particular approach to intensive aphasia treatment, called
A particular approach to intensive aphasia treatment, called Constraint-Induced Therapy, is developed and begins to be tested2003-2005 Enough studies that focus ONLY on intensive aphasia therapy are
available so that scientific reviews (across several published studies) state that participants consistently show greater benefit from intensive therapy than non-intensive therapy2008 Specialized intensive aphasia treatment program opens in St.
Specialized intensive aphasia treatment program opens in St. Petersburg, Florida 