The ‘Better Conversations with Primary Progressive Aphasia (BCPPA)’ program for people with PPA (Primary Progressive Aphasia): protocol for a randomised controlled pilot study
Abstract Background Primary progressive aphasia is a language-led dementia, often associated with frontotemporal dementia. It presents as insidious deterioration of language skills (e.g. naming objects and understanding complex sentences), with relative sparing of cognitive skills initially. There i...
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doaj-89cb7b5c229e4b37ab7568f394bdbee12020-11-25T01:50:29ZengBMCPilot and Feasibility Studies2055-57842018-10-014111010.1186/s40814-018-0349-6The ‘Better Conversations with Primary Progressive Aphasia (BCPPA)’ program for people with PPA (Primary Progressive Aphasia): protocol for a randomised controlled pilot studyAnna Volkmer0Aimee Spector1Jason D Warren2Suzanne Beeke3Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, Language and Cognition, University College LondonDivision of Psychology and Language Sciences, Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, UCLDepartment of Neurodegenerative Disease, Dementia Research Centre, UCL Institute of NeurologyDivision of Psychology and Language Sciences, Language and Cognition, University College LondonAbstract Background Primary progressive aphasia is a language-led dementia, often associated with frontotemporal dementia. It presents as insidious deterioration of language skills (e.g. naming objects and understanding complex sentences), with relative sparing of cognitive skills initially. There is little research examining the effectiveness of communication skills training for primary progressive aphasia, yet speech and language therapists (SLTs) report regularly using this in clinical practice. ‘Better Conversations with Primary Progressive Aphasia’ has potential to reduce barriers and increase facilitators to conversation and consequently improve confidence in communication and quality of life for people living with primary progressive aphasia and their conversation partners. The aim of this pilot study is to examine the feasibility of running a trial of the ‘Better Conversations with Primary Progressive Aphasia’ intervention. Methods A single blind, randomised controlled pilot study will recruit 42 participants with primary progressive aphasia and their conversation partners across seven UK National Health Service Trusts. Participants will be randomised on a 1:1 basis, stratified by site, to receive either the ‘Better Conversations with Primary Progressive Aphasia’ intervention (21 couples) or no speech and language therapy treatment (21 couples). Participants are recruited by SLTs who will conduct pre-intervention assessment (week 1) and deliver the intervention (weeks 2 to 5). Junior researchers, who are blinded to allocation, will complete post-intervention measures (week 6). SLTs complete 9 h of training to prepare them to deliver the intervention. The primary objective of the study is to establish for a phase III effectiveness study whether the program can be delivered as intended in a UK National Health Service setting. Specifically, it will establish (1) the acceptability of randomisation, (2) an assessment of treatment fidelity to determine necessary levels of SLT training, (3) the most appropriate primary outcome measure, (4) sample size requirements, (5) predicted patient recruitment and retention rates and (6) refined inclusion criteria. Discussion Insights from this study will be of relevance to guide development of future research and in particular, trials of therapeutic interventions in PPA, as well as for clinical care for this population. Trial registration Retrospectively registered 28/02/2018 ISRCTN10148247http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40814-018-0349-6Primary progressive aphasiaConversationDementiaSpeech and language therapyCommunication skills training |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Anna Volkmer Aimee Spector Jason D Warren Suzanne Beeke |
spellingShingle |
Anna Volkmer Aimee Spector Jason D Warren Suzanne Beeke The ‘Better Conversations with Primary Progressive Aphasia (BCPPA)’ program for people with PPA (Primary Progressive Aphasia): protocol for a randomised controlled pilot study Pilot and Feasibility Studies Primary progressive aphasia Conversation Dementia Speech and language therapy Communication skills training |
author_facet |
Anna Volkmer Aimee Spector Jason D Warren Suzanne Beeke |
author_sort |
Anna Volkmer |
title |
The ‘Better Conversations with Primary Progressive Aphasia (BCPPA)’ program for people with PPA (Primary Progressive Aphasia): protocol for a randomised controlled pilot study |
title_short |
The ‘Better Conversations with Primary Progressive Aphasia (BCPPA)’ program for people with PPA (Primary Progressive Aphasia): protocol for a randomised controlled pilot study |
title_full |
The ‘Better Conversations with Primary Progressive Aphasia (BCPPA)’ program for people with PPA (Primary Progressive Aphasia): protocol for a randomised controlled pilot study |
title_fullStr |
The ‘Better Conversations with Primary Progressive Aphasia (BCPPA)’ program for people with PPA (Primary Progressive Aphasia): protocol for a randomised controlled pilot study |
title_full_unstemmed |
The ‘Better Conversations with Primary Progressive Aphasia (BCPPA)’ program for people with PPA (Primary Progressive Aphasia): protocol for a randomised controlled pilot study |
title_sort |
‘better conversations with primary progressive aphasia (bcppa)’ program for people with ppa (primary progressive aphasia): protocol for a randomised controlled pilot study |
publisher |
BMC |
series |
Pilot and Feasibility Studies |
issn |
2055-5784 |
publishDate |
2018-10-01 |
description |
Abstract Background Primary progressive aphasia is a language-led dementia, often associated with frontotemporal dementia. It presents as insidious deterioration of language skills (e.g. naming objects and understanding complex sentences), with relative sparing of cognitive skills initially. There is little research examining the effectiveness of communication skills training for primary progressive aphasia, yet speech and language therapists (SLTs) report regularly using this in clinical practice. ‘Better Conversations with Primary Progressive Aphasia’ has potential to reduce barriers and increase facilitators to conversation and consequently improve confidence in communication and quality of life for people living with primary progressive aphasia and their conversation partners. The aim of this pilot study is to examine the feasibility of running a trial of the ‘Better Conversations with Primary Progressive Aphasia’ intervention. Methods A single blind, randomised controlled pilot study will recruit 42 participants with primary progressive aphasia and their conversation partners across seven UK National Health Service Trusts. Participants will be randomised on a 1:1 basis, stratified by site, to receive either the ‘Better Conversations with Primary Progressive Aphasia’ intervention (21 couples) or no speech and language therapy treatment (21 couples). Participants are recruited by SLTs who will conduct pre-intervention assessment (week 1) and deliver the intervention (weeks 2 to 5). Junior researchers, who are blinded to allocation, will complete post-intervention measures (week 6). SLTs complete 9 h of training to prepare them to deliver the intervention. The primary objective of the study is to establish for a phase III effectiveness study whether the program can be delivered as intended in a UK National Health Service setting. Specifically, it will establish (1) the acceptability of randomisation, (2) an assessment of treatment fidelity to determine necessary levels of SLT training, (3) the most appropriate primary outcome measure, (4) sample size requirements, (5) predicted patient recruitment and retention rates and (6) refined inclusion criteria. Discussion Insights from this study will be of relevance to guide development of future research and in particular, trials of therapeutic interventions in PPA, as well as for clinical care for this population. Trial registration Retrospectively registered 28/02/2018 ISRCTN10148247 |
topic |
Primary progressive aphasia Conversation Dementia Speech and language therapy Communication skills training |
url |
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40814-018-0349-6 |
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