Feasibility of Immersive Virtual Reality for Delivering Semantic Feature Analysis to Adults with Communication Disorders and Normal Cognitive Aging
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63144/ijt.2026.6746Keywords:
Communication disorder, Normal cognitive aging, Telerehabilitation, Virtual realityAbstract
This study investigated the feasibility of delivering Semantic Feature Analysis (SFA) within a fully immersive virtual reality (VR) environment for adults with normal cognitive aging (NCA) and communication disorders (CSD). The scope included short-term semantic feature training, baseline assessments, and evaluation of engagement and acceptability. Thirty-five adults (11-younger, 11-older, and 13-CSD) completed a two-phase protocol involving standardized SFA and VR-delivered SFA (VRSFA) across five tasks: picture naming, associative matching, common feature identification, semantic feature questions, and integrated SFA training. Participants completed cognitive and language assessments pre- and post-intervention, with qualitative feedback gathered through thematic analysis. Quantitative data were analyzed using non-parametric tests to assess group differences and task effects. Findings indicate that immersive VR is a feasible, engaging, and promising approach for delivering evidence-based semantic-feature training for individuals with typical and impaired cognitive communication profiles. Results support continued exploration of VR as a scalable and accessible rehabilitation modality in speech-language pathology.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Jennine Harvey-Northrop; Megan Cuellar; Isaac Chang
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