Date of Graduation
Spring 2010
Degree
Master of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders
Department
Communication Sciences and Disorders
Committee Chair
Klaas Bakker
Abstract
Individuals with dementia constitute the fastest-growing clinical population in speech-language pathology. Cognitive deficits present in dementia adversely affect overall communication abilities, and a specific skill compromised is name recall ability. Various memory training strategies have yielded somewhat positive results for name recall ability. As attention is also affected, a combination of memory and attention tasks might result in further gains. In this study, three individuals with dementia participated in seven sessions measuring name recall abilities for unfamiliar individuals. A multiple-baseline design was used to compare name recall abilities for different conditions. Results were compared to a concurrent study, in which three participants completed attention tasks and a combination of memory and attention tasks. Participants obtained fluctuating scores across sessions, with no group trend evident relative to the introduction of experimental conditions. One participant showed a positive trend during combined sessions. Participants in the concurrent study received scores with a general increasing trend. Limitations to the study are discussed, along with possible clinical implications.
Keywords
dementia, communication, name recall, memory tasks, attention tasks, combined attention-memory tasks
Subject Categories
Communication Sciences and Disorders
Copyright
© Marianne Elaine Reichert
Recommended Citation
Reichert, Marianne Elaine, "Effects of Memory Association Devices and Attention Tasks on Name Recall Abilities in Individuals with Dementia: Memory Alone Versus a Combination of Memory and Attention" (2010). MSU Graduate Theses. 2018.
https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/2018
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