Exploratory study of the efficacy and feasibility of the aphasia: nurturing connections, honoring ongoing relationships (anchor) program

The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders awarded Bowling Green State University $641,860 on May 8, 2026, under the Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders program (CFDA 93.173) to conduct an exploratory randomized trial of the ANCHOR (Aphasia: Nurturing Connections, Honoring Ongoing Relationships) intervention.

The study tests preliminary efficacy of ANCHOR, a prototype intervention designed to help people with aphasia maintain friendships and reduce social isolation following onset of the disorder. ANCHOR consists of three hour-long speech-language pathologist-facilitated sessions completed by a person with aphasia and a friend, supplemented by a digital platform accessible to friends outside sessions to reinforce program content. The trial will deliver ANCHOR to an immediate treatment group of 20 people with aphasia and their friends and a delayed treatment group of 20 people with aphasia and their friends, comparing pre-post effect size differences between groups using psychometrically sound measurement instruments.

Performance takes place in Bowling Green, Ohio, with the period of performance running through April 30, 2028. University of Louisiana at Lafayette serves as a sub-recipient on the award, with subaward executed August 25, 2026.

Abstract

Many people with aphasia (PWA) lose contact with the majority of their friends in the months following the onset of this disorder. Losing friendships and the ensuing social isolation place a large number of PWA at risk for reduced well-being, depression, anxiety, physical health problems, increased levels of disability following medical crises, and premature death. Interventions which enable people with aphasia to stay connected to their friends will likely reduce the incidence of isolation and loneliness as well as the downstream negative effects of these states. As a first step towards creating social connectedness programming for PWA, we conducted a series of studies and consulted extensively with people impacted by aphasia. The outcome of this work is a prototype intervention called aphasia: nurturing connection, honoring ongoing relationships (anchor). Anchor consists of three, hour long speech-language pathologist-facilitated sessions that people in the acute stage of aphasia rehabilitation complete with a friend. We have also created a digital platform that friends will access outside of these sessions to reinforce important program content. The program focuses on providing both the PWA and their friend with the knowledge, skills and motivations they need to keep communicating and to continue enjoying a mutually beneficial, satisfactory relationship with one another. The proposed study outlined here is a small scale, randomized trial. Aim 1 of this study is to gather preliminary efficacy data on anchor. We will deliver anchor to an immediate treatment group (n=20 PWA and friends) and a delayed treatment group (n=20 PWA and friends), and compare the pre-post effect size differences between these two groups. Two complimentary, psychometrically sound instruments, the measure of skill in supportive conversation (MSC) and the measure of participation in conversation (MPC) will serve as outcome measures; the MSC evaluates how effectively a partner provides supports that enable the person with aphasia to express themselves and understand the partners' speaking turns, while the MPC evaluates the person with aphasia's ability to convey information. Aim 2 of the study is to gather data on the feasibility and acceptability of the anchor program. In pursuit of this aim, we will gather descriptive statistics on the number of people who pass study screening, how many dyads complete the anchor program, the number of adverse incidents that occur and on metrics of treatment fidelity. Additionally, we will interview people with aphasia and friends who complete anchor and solicit their feedback about the program the data we gather in pursuit of aims 1 and 2 will be used to refine anchor and to inform future, larger scale randomized controlled trials.