Cues on request: The efficacy of multicue, a computer program for wordfinding therapy

Background: Semantic and word form cues have been shown to have long-term effects on naming in aphasia. Multicue is a computer program that offers a variety of cues for improving word finding. It stimulates the users' independence by encouraging them to discover themselves which cues are most helpful. Aims: We investigated the effects of Multicue on naming and verbal communication. Methods & Procedures: A total of 18 individuals with aphasia caused by stroke, who had completed intensive impairment-oriented treatment, were randomised to 10-11 hours of Multicue (n = 8) or no treatment (n = 10). Outcomes & Results: Only the Multicue group improved on the Boston Naming Test. However, mean improvement did not differ significantly between the treated and untreated groups, neither for the BNT (95% CI: -4.5 to 26.1), nor for the ANELT-A (95% CI: -2.4 to 9.4). Conclusions: In the chronic phase of aphasia, following impairment-oriented treatment, Multicue may have a beneficial effect on word finding in picture naming, but not on verbal communication. The effect of Multicue may be the result either of self-cueing or of improved access. The lack of generalisation to verbal communication is discussed.

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