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Assessment of anomia: Improving efficiency and utility using item response theory

Award Number: R01DC018813
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DEAFNESS AND OTHER COMMUNICATION DISORDERS
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/01/2020
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 08/31/2026

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Assessment of anomia: Improving efficiency and utility using item response theory - Project Summary/Abstract Anomia is a core feature of aphasia, a disorder affecting at least 2.5 million Americans. Assessment of naming ability is foundational to both research and clinical practice in aphasiology, but currently available naming tests have largely failed to capitalize on important advances in psychometric theory and practice over the past 50 years. Sensitive metrics are needed to support investigations of the cognitive mechanisms underlying anomia, clinical decision making, and treatment research. To be optimally useful, these metrics must be validated within a rigorous psychometric framework to (i) efficiently provide information about both overall severity and the underlying cognitive deficits in a unified framework, (ii) support repeated assessments without threatening internal validity or measurement precision, (iii) target both object and action naming, and (iv) easily integrate into computerized adaptive testing platforms. All current anomia tests lack at least one of these features. To remedy this gap, this project pursues three aims. First, to ease sharing of information across clinics and labs, and enhance the ability to conduct robust meta-analytic studies, five object picture-naming tests will be equated within an item response theory framework, and their scores will be expressed on the same metric. Further, to obviate the need for large samples in future item development, a model for predicting the difficulty of most picturable nouns will be refined and cross-validated. Just as the measurement of length does not depend on which ruler is used, measurement of anomia severity need not depend on which naming test is given. Second, to quantify the underlying cognitive deficits of anomia, a cognitive-psychometric model of anomia will be refined and evaluated to produce a measurement model that balances clinical utility, model-data fit, and fidelity to current theory. Third, given the increasingly recognized importance of action naming, a computer adaptive action naming test will be developed using item response theory by modeling action naming responses; regressing verb item difficulty parameters on relevant target properties; and, conducting real-data simulations to assess the precision of the computer adaptive test engine. This work will produce a powerful and flexible anomia assessment tool with utility for both research and clinical practice. Depending on user specifications, it will maximize diagnostic information and measurement precision while minimizing response burden. The aims of this project directly address goals identified in the NIDCD Strategic Plan for 2017-2021, including developing and refining techniques, technology, and instrumentation for improved diagnosis to aid in treatment and improve clinical outcomes.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $0 )
2025	2024	VETERANS HEALTH FOUNDATION	C UNIVERSITY DR BLDG 30 RM	PITTSBURGH	PA	15240	ALLEGHENY	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	000	5	8/11/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
														Subtotal = $0

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $562,845 )
2024	2024	VETERANS HEALTH FOUNDATION	C UNIVERSITY DR BLDG 30 RM	PITTSBURGH	PA	15240	ALLEGHENY	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	000	5	8/9/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$562,845
														Subtotal = $562,845

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $564,208 )
2023	2023	VETERANS HEALTH FOUNDATION	UNIVERSITY DRIVE C	PITTSBURGH	PA	15240	ALLEGHENY	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	000	4	7/31/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$564,208
														Subtotal = $564,208

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $539,477 )
2022	2022	VETERANS HEALTH FOUNDATION	UNIVERSITY DRIVE C	PITTSBURGH	PA	15240	ALLEGHENY	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	002	3	8/23/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$539,477
2022	2021	VETERANS HEALTH FOUNDATION	UNIVERSITY DRIVE C	PITTSBURGH	PA	15240	ALLEGHENY	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	001	2	1/28/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
2022	2021	VETERANS HEALTH FOUNDATION	UNIVERSITY DRIVE C	PITTSBURGH	PA	15240	ALLEGHENY	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	000	2	1/7/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
														Subtotal = $539,477

Issue Date FY: 2021 ( Subtotal = $587,724 )
2021	2021	VETERANS HEALTH FOUNDATION	UNIVERSITY DRIVE C	PITTSBURGH	PA	15240	ALLEGHENY	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	001	2	8/10/2021	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$587,724
2021	2020	VETERANS HEALTH FOUNDATION	UNIVERSITY DRIVE C	PITTSBURGH	PA	15240	ALLEGHENY	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	000	1	11/5/2020	NEW	$0
														Subtotal = $587,724

Issue Date FY: 2020 ( Subtotal = $613,585 )
2020	2020	VETERANS RESEARCH FOUNDATION OF PITTSBURGH	UNIVERSITY DRIVE C	PITTSBURGH	PA	15240	ALLEGHENY	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	000	1	8/21/2020	NEW	$613,585
														Subtotal = $613,585

Grand Total All Awards = $2,867,839

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Assessment of anomia: Improving efficiency and utility using item response theory

Award Number: R01DC018813

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DEAFNESS AND OTHER COMMUNICATION DISORDERS

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/01/2020

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 08/31/2026

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