We randomly assigned study participants into 2 groups: the traditional speech therapy (ST) group and the traditional ST with additional VR training (ST+VR) group. In the ST group, each participant received 1-hour traditional ST for each session. In the ST+VR group, an additional 30-minute VR training was administered immediately after each session of traditional ST. All participants received 3 sessions of treatment every week for 3 weeks. For outcome measurement, we administered Concise Chinese Aphasia Test (CCAT) at 3 different time points: before treatment, 1 day and 3 months after the completion of treatment.
Aphasia can significantly influence a person's social relationship and quality of life. To achieve positive language outcomes, an intensive and high-repetition speech therapy is essential. However, due to the limited number of speech therapists, the intensity and frequency of training are often insufficient. Therefore, it is critical to develop other rehabilitation approaches to enhance the benefits of aphasia intervention. Virtual reality (VR) is an immersive and interactive computer simulation technology that can promote the ecological validity of speech therapy. In this study, we develop an innovative VR software for speech training to explore the effects of VR on various aspects of language outcomes.