Errorless Learning and Rehabilitation of Language and Memory Impairments

This special issue of Neuropsychological Rehabilitation brings together seven newly published studies from a range of invited international researchers in the fields of language and memory disorders and their rehabilitation. The studies address a range of current themes within these fields. Critical consideration is made of the concept of errorless learning in light of the current learning literature by Middleton & Schwartz. Identification of a locus to an errorless learning advantage in non-clinical participants is provided by Anderson and colleagues. Evaluations of errorless learning applied to a range of clinical presentations are provided, including semantic dementia (Jokel & colleagues), anomia in Alzheimer’s disease (Noonan & colleagues), aphasia (Raymer & colleagues; Conroy & Scowcroft) and apraxia of speech (Whiteside & colleagues). The breadth and depth of these studies offers an up-to-date and comprehensive account of research developments in errorless learning and rehabilitation of language and memory impairments. They delineate some of the current critical theoretical-clinical issues through which we might optimise learning and rehabilitative efforts more fully. This book was originally published as a special issue of the journal Neuropsychological Rehabilitation.

P. Conroy, M.A. Lambon Ralph,Introduction: Errorless Learning and Rehabilitation of Language and Memory Impairments.E.L. Middleton, M. Schwartz,Errorless Learning in Cognitive Rehabilitation: A Critical Review.N.D. Anderson, E. Guild et al.,Contributions of Frontal and Medial Temporal Lobe Functioning to the Errorless Learning Advantage.R. Jokel,N.D. Anderson,Quest for the Best: Effects of Errorless and Active Encoding on Word Re-learning in Semantic Dementia.K.A. Noonan, L.R. Pryer et al.,A Direct Comparison of Errorless and Errorful Therapy for Object Name Relearning in Alzheimer’s Disease.A. Raymer, B. McHose et al., Contrasting Effects of Errorless Naming Treatment and Gestural Facilitation for Word Retrieval in Aphasia.S.P. Whiteside, A.L. Inglis et al.,Error Reduction Therapy in Reducing Struggle and Grope Behaviours in Apraxia of Speech.P. Conroy,J. Scowcroft,Decreasing Cues for a Dynamic List of Noun and Verb Naming Targets:A Case-series Aphasia Therapy Study.P. Conroy, M.A. Lambon Ralph,Overview of Special Issue on Errorless Learning and Rehabilitation of Language and Memory Impairments in Neuropsychological Rehabilitation and Ways Forward for Future Research.

Paul Conroy is Clinical Lecturer in Speech and Language Therapy in the Neuroscience and Aphasia Research Unit (NARU), within the School of Psychological Sciences at the University of Manchester, UK. Matthew A. Lambon Ralph is Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience and Associate Vice-President of Research in the Neuroscience and Aphasia Research Unit (NARU), within the School of Psychological Sciences at the University of Manchester, UK.