ABSTRACT

Objective : This study investigated the effect of conditioned learning on paying attention to the side of visual neglect in three persons with left hemiparesis due to stroke using ABA design across 3 participants.Methods : The independent variable was use of visual cue (facial towel) as a stimulus to condition the behavior of paying attention to the visually neglected side. The dependent variable was visual neglect which was measured by the Albert Test, the Baking Tray Task, and performance of daily activities such as pouring water into the cups, finding picture cards, naming objects, and cleaning objects/putting them in the basket on the affected side on the table. The visual neglect was evaluated 2 times alternately: once with the visual cue on the table and once without the visual cue in 5 minutes right after the visual cue training. The visual cue training continued 20～30 minutes per session for 8 sessions in total.Results : The results showed that the three participants improved their visual neglect symptoms as follows. On the Albert Test(paper and pencil test), Participant 1 improved by 21% with and 15% without visual cue, Participant 2 by 38% with and 35% without, and Participant 3 by 9% with and 5% without; on the Baking Tray Task, Participant 1 improved by 40% with and 21% without visual cue, Participant 2 by 36% with and 0% without, and Participant 3 by 50% with and 34% without. On the activity performance in the daily living, Participant 1 improved by 32% with and 30% without visual cue, Participant 2 by 39% with and 34% without, and Participant 3 by 46% with and 41% without.Conclusion : The results reveal that the behavior of paying attention to the neglected side was relatively well conditioned on the visual cue(facial towel) during the training in which paying attention to the affected side was repeatedly matched to the facial towel and the participants' conditioned learning (attending affected side) remained effective after the cue was removed. The approach of conditioned learning can be seen as a viable treatment technique in treating people with visual neglect.