Comparison of formal language therapy with supportive counseling for aphasia due to acute vascular accident.

A total of 60 right-handed patients with acute aphasia due to left hemispheral stroke were randomly assigned to two modes of therapy for six months, beginning one month after the ictus. Conventional speech therapy provided by professional speech pathologists twice weekly was compared with emotionally supportive counseling therapy, also provided by professional speech pathologists at the same intervals. Language function was tested periodically by the Porch Index of Communicative Ability. Fifty of the subjects were also tested at ten months after the ictus. There was no difference in the amount of improvement between the two groups.