Improving mental health in stroke survivors with aphasia via integrated communication strategy training and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
NIDCD - National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
About This Grant
Aphasia is a language disorder caused by acquired brain injury that affects one third of stroke survivors and more than 2 million people in the United States. Improving mental health is identified as the #1 stroke recovery priority. Stroke survivors with aphasia (SSwA) experience disproportionately poor mental health compared to stroke survivors without aphasia, with high rates of depression, anxiety, and general psychological distress. Poor mental health affects aphasia recovery, and poor aphasia recovery affects mental health. Therefore, mental health services need to be offered as part of comprehensive aphasia rehabilitation to maximize recovery. Adjustment counseling is within the scope of practice for speech-language pathologists (SLPs), who are well-positioned to address the bi-directional relationship between mental health and aphasia as primary providers of interdisciplinary psychological care. Our team has developed Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for Aphasia, an integrated aphasia- adapted counseling and communication strategy intervention provided by SLPs. ACT improves psychological flexibility, allowing people to lead lives consistent with their deeply held values, even in the face of persistent psychological distress. ACT pairs well with communication skills training because they help SSwA understand and express themselves during counseling. In turn, ACT helps SSwA become more willing to participate in meaningful life activities and apply communication skills in challenging situations, supporting skill generalization. Our completed Phase I pilot found good intervention acceptability, feasibility, and promising preliminary outcomes, with large effect sizes for reducing psychological distress. This proposal will evaluate the effectiveness of ACT for Aphasia for improving mental health and functional communication in stroke survivors with aphasia. Aim 1 will evaluate ACT for Aphasia via a well-powered Phase II Randomized Controlled Trial. Aim 2 will engage clinician and community end users and healthcare system experts in exploratory implementation research to inform future implementation and intervention refinement. We predict that a) ACT for Aphasia will significantly reduce psychological distress (the primary outcome) and improve functional communication (an exploratory secondary outcome), compared to an active control condition consisting of usual care intervention components, and b) will meet defined benchmarks to justify a large-scale Phase III efficacy trial. Study success will support continued development and evaluation of this novel intervention and determine optimal implementation pathways for improving access to interdisciplinary psychological aphasia care in the United States.
Grant Summary
Improving mental health in stroke survivors with aphasia via integrated communication strategy training and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is a NIDCD - National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders grant providing up to $664K for university, nonprofit, healthcare org. Applications are due 2031-02-28 (open). Check eligibility and apply with FindGrants.
Focus Areas
Eligibility
How to Apply
Up to $664K
2031-02-28
- 1Confirm your organization is eligible for Improving mental health in stroke survivors with aphasia via integrated communication strategy training and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy from NIDCD - National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, checking organization type, location, and any population or project requirements.
- 2Gather the required documents and information, including your organization details, project plan, and budget figures.
- 3Draft your application narrative and budget addressing the funder's priorities and review criteria. FindGrants can draft each section for you to review and edit.
- 4Review every section against the requirements checklist, then export a submission-ready application pack and submit it to NIDCD - National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders before the deadline.
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Improving mental health in stroke survivors with aphasia via integrated communication strategy training and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible for the Improving mental health in stroke survivors with aphasia via integrated communication strategy training and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy?
Improving mental health in stroke survivors with aphasia via integrated communication strategy training and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is offered by NIDCD - National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders and is generally open to university, nonprofit, healthcare org. It is open to organizations nationwide unless the funder specifies otherwise. Review the specific eligibility terms before applying, since funders set their own requirements around organization type, location, and the population or project being served.
How much funding does the Improving mental health in stroke survivors with aphasia via integrated communication strategy training and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy provide?
Improving mental health in stroke survivors with aphasia via integrated communication strategy training and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy provides up to $664K per award from NIDCD - National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. Actual award sizes depend on the scope of your project, available program funds, and the number of applicants, so build a budget that reflects realistic, allowable costs rather than the maximum figure.
When is the Improving mental health in stroke survivors with aphasia via integrated communication strategy training and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy deadline?
Applications for Improving mental health in stroke survivors with aphasia via integrated communication strategy training and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy are due 2031-02-28 (open). Because deadlines can change, verify the date with the funder, NIDCD - National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, and give yourself enough time to prepare a complete, competitive application before the close date.
How do you apply for the Improving mental health in stroke survivors with aphasia via integrated communication strategy training and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy?
To apply for Improving mental health in stroke survivors with aphasia via integrated communication strategy training and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, confirm your eligibility, gather the required documents, and prepare a narrative and budget that address the funder's priorities. FindGrants guides you step by step and can draft each section, then exports a submission-ready application pack for this grant from NIDCD - National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.