Project Grant R01DC022582

Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) awarded the University of Pittsburgh a $663,904 Project Grant on March 13, 2026, under the Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders program (CFDA 93.173) to develop and evaluate an integrated intervention for stroke survivors with aphasia. The project will deliver Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for Aphasia, an aphasia-adapted counseling and communication strategy intervention designed and delivered by speech-language pathologists (SLPs). This integrated approach combines acceptance and commitment therapy—which improves psychological flexibility and helps individuals live consistently with their values despite psychological distress—with communication skills training to address the bi-directional relationship between mental health and aphasia recovery.

The intervention directly addresses a critical clinical gap, as stroke survivors with aphasia experience disproportionately high rates of depression, anxiety, and psychological distress compared to stroke survivors without aphasia. By positioning SLPs as primary providers of interdisciplinary psychological care, the project enhances comprehensive aphasia rehabilitation and supports functional communication outcomes. Following promising Phase I pilot results demonstrating good acceptability, feasibility, and large effect sizes for reducing psychological distress, this Phase II evaluation will assess intervention effectiveness through the project completion date of February 28, 2031, ultimately advancing mental health services as a core component of stroke recovery rehabilitation.