Authors
Kulakova P.S., Linkova T.A., Slepneva N.I.
Pirogov National Medical and Surgical Center, Moscow
Abstract
The scientific rationale for incorporating game-based technologies into the speech therapy of patients with mild aphasia is based on the necessity of bridging the gap between “clinical” speech recovery and the functional use of language in everyday communication. A primary challenge for this population is the acute awareness of their own deficit, which often triggers “speech negativism” and social withdrawal. Traditional exercises are frequently perceived by intellectually intact patients as monotonous and devoid of communicative purpose, which diminishes rehabilitation potential and motivation. According to the activity theory of A.N. Leontiev and L.S. Vygotsky, gaming is a powerful stimulus for activating higher mental functions. The implementation of tabletop communicative games (e.g., Alias, Codenames, Crocodile) requires the patient to move beyond the simple reproduction of learned words toward the operational resolution of complex cognitive tasks: the activation of associative fields, the use of verbal search strategies (synonymy, antonymy), the inhibition of inadequate speech responses, and the retention of multi-component instructions.
Aim.To analyze the effectiveness of game-based technologies in group speech therapy sessions for patients with mild forms of aphasia and to justify their significance for improving speech function and social adaptation during the second stage of rehabilitation.
Materials and Methods. This study is a descriptive observation of the effectiveness of game-based technologies within the second stage of inpatient speech rehabilitation for patients with mild aphasia of cerebrovascular etiology. The program integrated gaming methods into the traditional correctional process using adapted board games and role-playing scenarios. Patients were divided into two groups: a control group (traditional methods, n = 10) and an experimental group (game-based technologies, n = 10). The observation period lasted 14 days of inpatient care. Qualitative and quantitative assessments were conducted pre- and post-treatment using the Wasserman Scale and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS).
Results. Data analysis confirmed the positive impact of game-based technologies on both speech function and social adaptation. Quantitative assessment via the Wasserman Scale showed positive dynamics in both groups; however, HADS scores revealed significantly more pronounced improvement in the experimental group compared to the control.
Qualitative assessment demonstrated a significant reduction in the frequency of paraphasias and word-finding latencies in the experimental group. Patients exhibited increased speed and accuracy in lexical retrieval within specified categories, particularly during Alias and Codenames. Role-playing and spontaneous speech showed improvements in sentence construction and a decrease in mistakes, with patients utilizing more complex syntactic structures. The volume of utterances increased, and the coherence and logical flow of monologues improved. Role-playing also facilitated the ability to maintain prolonged dialogue and provide elaborated responses. Furthermore, gaming technologies significantly increased motivation, reduced the fear of errors, and helped patients feel more socially confident.
Conclusion. For successful speech rehabilitation of patients with mild motor aphasia, the use of game-based technologies is recommended as an integral part of the intervention to expand creative, motivational, and communicative potential. Results indicate the restoration of inner speech through the establishment of stable semantic anchors, the refinement of categorical apparatus, and the expansion of active.
Keywords: aphasia, mild severity, game-based technologies, speech-language rehabilitation, stroke, social adaptation, communicative initiative, verbal retrieval, speech negativism, group therapy.
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