Personalization of Words in Anomia Treatment for People With Aphasia: A Scoping Review.

PURPOSE: This scoping review examined how "personalization" of treatment targets, specifically words, has been defined and implemented in anomia interventions for people with aphasia following stroke or primary progressive aphasia. The review identified (a) how studies define personalized words, (b) the methods used to select them, and (c) the linguistic characteristics of personalized targets.

METHOD: Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews, systematic searches were conducted in MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and CINAHL on July 8, 2024, with no date limits. Eligible studies reported treatment involving personalized single-word targets for adults with aphasia. Data extraction captured how personalization was defined or described, word selection methods, involvement of participants and partners, and linguistic characteristics. Descriptor terms were analyzed for semantic relatedness using the WordNet LESK algorithm to identify higher order dimensions of the concept "personalization."

RESULTS

Twenty-one studies met inclusion criteria. Few provided explicit definitions; most described personalization using descriptors such as "relevant," "functional," "familiar," "useful," "frequent," and "meaningful." Network analysis grouped these into three dimensions: meaningful, functional, and frequent. Common selection methods included interviews (n = 11), free listing (n = 8), performance informed (n = 7), and category based (n = 5). All studies involved participants with aphasia; most (n = 14) included a communication partner.

CONCLUSIONS

Personalization is widely referenced in anomia treatment but rarely operationalized. Clearer reporting of personalization dimensions, selection methods, and linguistic features would improve comparability and align research with person-centered frameworks such as the Life Participation Approach to Aphasia and the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health.

SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.32118373.