Purpose

It is common for individuals after stroke to have a cognitive perceptual impairment called unilateral spatial neglect (neglect). Individuals with neglect have difficulty paying attention to one side of their body or one side of the environment and therefore experience difficulty performing daily activities. There are a lack of effective treatments for neglect and new interventions are needed to help reduce disability for these individuals. Metacognitive strategy training (strategy training) is an intervention that has the potential to reduce neglect-related disability and improve individuals' attention and awareness of their neglect. This study seeks to examine the effects of strategy training on neglect, self-awareness, and disability, specifically for individuals who are living in the community after their stroke.

Conditions

Eligibility

Eligible Ages
Over 18 Years
Eligible Sex
All
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
No

Inclusion Criteria

  • had a stroke - presence of neglect as determined by score of <18 or 2 or more collisions on the Virtual Reality Lateralized Attention Test (VRLAT) or score below established cutoff for neglect on one of the six subtests of the Behavioral Inattention Test (BIT); - ≥18 years old - lives within 30 miles of the University of Pittsburgh in a community dwelling.

Exclusion Criteria

  • Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination (BDAE) Severity Scale score of 0 - dementia per medical record - active major depressive disorder per medical record - not willing to be videotaped - subject is currently receiving rehabilitation therapy as part of their usual care

Study Design

Phase
N/A
Study Type
Interventional
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention Model
Parallel Assignment
Primary Purpose
Treatment
Masking
Single (Outcomes Assessor)

Arm Groups

ArmDescriptionAssigned Intervention
Experimental
Strategy Training
The strategy training intervention teaches individuals to develop personalized goals, self-assess their performance of daily activities, and develop and evaluate strategies designed to overcome barriers and improve their performance of daily activities. Participants use a workbook to support their application of the strategy training.
  • Behavioral: Strategy Training
    This intervention will use an adapted form of strategy training for people with neglect.
Active Comparator
Attention Control
The attention control intervention controls for the non-specific effects of strategy training. The study team will administer the standardized and dose-matched protocol, using scripted open-ended questions to facilitate participants' reflections on their rehabilitation activities and experiences. Participants complete a daily journal, merely reviewing their rehabilitation activities.
  • Behavioral: Attention Control
    This intervention will use a reflective listening protocol.

Recruiting Locations

University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260

More Details

NCT ID
NCT07331896
Status
Recruiting
Sponsor
University of Pittsburgh

Study Contact

Emily Grattan, PhD, OTRlL
412-648-0619
esg39@pitt.edu

Detailed Description

Unilateral spatial neglect (neglect) post stroke is characterized by a lack of attention to one side of the body or one side of the environment. Individuals with neglect experience significant disability and are often unaware of their neglect symptoms which can make it even more difficult to treat. There are a lack of effective treatments for neglect and new interventions are needed to help reduce disability for these individuals. Metacognitive strategy training (strategy training) is an intervention that has the potential to reduce neglect-related disability and improve individuals' attention and awareness of their neglect. Strategy training teaches individuals to develop personalized goals, self-assess their performance of daily activities, and develop and evaluate strategies designed to overcome barriers and improve their performance of daily activities. While strategy training shows promise for individuals with neglect, no studies have tailored the intervention for this group of individuals or examined the effects of strategy training for individuals with neglect specifically with individuals living in the community. This study examines whether strategy training facilitates reductions in neglect and disability and improves self-awareness.

Notice

Study information shown on this site is derived from ClinicalTrials.gov (a public registry operated by the National Institutes of Health). The listing of studies provided is not certain to be all studies for which you might be eligible. Furthermore, study eligibility requirements can be difficult to understand and may change over time, so it is wise to speak with your medical care provider and individual research study teams when making decisions related to participation.