# Case report: Applied behavior analysis in a case of anomic aphasia in post-acute myocardial infarction with cardiac arrest and brain hypoxia: results of tact-training

## TL;DR

This case report shows that telehealth-based behavior training can help an adult with anomic aphasia after a stroke to improve picture naming.

## Contribution

The study demonstrates the effectiveness of telehealth-based tact-training for post-stroke aphasia in an adult patient.

## Key findings

- The patient achieved mastery criteria for naming pictures in both stimulus sets during training.
- Telehealth sessions maintained the effectiveness of the training without reducing correct responses.
- Follow-up results showed sustained performance with 70-100% correct responses.

## Abstract

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) tact-training was provided to an adult with post-stroke anomic aphasia, with the main purposes to improve naming of pictures, with a possible generalization to another different setting, through telehealth sessions.

The Multiple probe experimental design across behaviors was used. Two sets of stimuli were used (SET 1 and SET 2), including 60 laminated photos, belonging to three different categories for each set. Procedure included the baseline, the intervention phases (face-to-face and telehealth sessions), and the follow-up (1 month after the end of a tact training).

For both, SET 1 and SET 2, the mastery criterion (80% correct stimulus tacts, for three consecutive times, simultaneously for all categories) was achieved. No increased percentage of correct picture tacts was found for untrained items. At follow-up, the patient provided 70 to 100% correct responses. For both SET 1 and SET 2, telehealth did not modify the correct response trends.

The results of our study seem to suggest that specific tact-training procedures might be successfully carried out in adult and elderly people with post-stroke aphasia. It also appears necessary to arrange protocols providing telehealth sessions, with benefits for both families and the health system.