Feasibility of the Lee Silverman Voice Treatment®-BIG Intervention in Stroke

Literature suggests the Lee Silverman Voice Treatment®-BIG (LSVT-BIG®) program is an effective intervention for individuals with Parkinson's Disease (Ebersbach et al., 2015); however, no literature or research exists on the use of this program as an intervention for individuals with stroke. Therefore, this project aims to measure the effectiveness of the LSVT®BIG program with one individual with a stroke to determine if LSVT®BIG is a feasible and effective occupational therapy intervention for this population. The LSVT®BIG program is an intensive program with hands-on treatment sessions 4 days per week for 4 weeks. Clients complete home exercises every day that enhance the hands-on treatment and help promote carry-over of skills learned to daily tasks. The investigators have completed two case studies with clients with chronic stroke who demonstrated improved outcomes in upper extremity motor function and occupational performance. The purpose of this study is to test the LSVT®BIG intervention with a larger clinical population and to demonstrate that LSVT®BIG is an effective and feasible treatment option for improvement in occupational performance and upper extremity motor function with individuals with stroke.

Inclusion criteria

• Age 18 or older
• Diagnosis of first-ever ischemic stroke at least 6 months prior as confirmed by medical records
• Has more than a moderate stroke (NIH Stroke Scale > 20)
• Can read and write English. To ensure participants can understand instructions in clinic and home exercise sessions

Exclusion criteria

• More than moderate motor deficits (Fugl-Meyer UE Assessment < 32/66)
• More than mild cognitive impairment (Mini-Mental Status Examination < 24)
• More than mild balance deficits (Berg Balance Scale <45)
• Minimal or no impairments from their stroke (NIH Stroke Scale < 6)
• Currently receiving occupational therapy or physical therapy services
• Has had more than one stroke