"The Scientific Basis for Contextualized Treatment", Jacqueline Hinckley

Lecture in the C-STAR series by Prof. Jacqueline Hinckley, PhD, CCC-SLP (Nova Southeastern University), delivered on April 7th, 2023.
Dr. Hinckley's faculty page at NSU Florida:
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Abstract:
The Scientific Basis for Contextualized Treatment
Decontextualized treatment, also called “impairment-focused” or “skill-based”, plays a significant role in studies of neurological, linguistic, and/or cognitive changes associated with intervention. Contextualized treatment, also sometimes called “activity-focused”, is based on practice-based evidence, and also on clinician and client preferences. In this presentation, we will first explore the potential neurological bases for contextualized treatment. Cognitive theoretical approaches, including episodic or instance-based theories, also lay the groundwork for predictions about contextualized treatment. Results from a group of 40 adults with aphasia who were randomly assigned to either contextualized or decontextualized treatment suggest that there are differential immediate and follow-up outcomes from the two approaches. Differential outcomes are also associated with aphasia severity and nonlanguage cognitive abilities. Contextualized treatment has a scientific foundation, can be operationalized, and is motivated by policy and practical motivations that make it an important approach to investigate more systematically. The results also point to next steps in the pursuit of personalizing treatment and involving people with aphasia more directly in treatment choice decisions.