Studies and clinical experiences with PowerAFA

Over time, PowerAFA has been used in scientific studies and cited in reviews of software for aphasia rehabilitation. Its use has also been described by healthcare professionals working in cognitive and language rehabilitation.

The sources collected on this page have different characteristics. Some evaluate PowerAFA directly, some describe documented professional experiences, while others address the use of computer-assisted tools in post-stroke language therapy more generally.

Positive results in a study do not imply that the software will provide the same benefits for everyone. The type and severity of aphasia, the time elapsed since the neurological event, treatment intensity and individual characteristics may influence rehabilitation outcomes.

• Direct studies: evaluate PowerAFA in participants with aphasia.
• Reviews: compare multiple software programs or treatment approaches.
• Professional experiences: describe the use of the software in practice.
• General sources: provide context on computer-assisted rehabilitation.

All links lead to the original sources or their bibliographic records.

A study published in 2018 in the Journal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases evaluated a rehabilitation program using PowerAFA in people with post-stroke aphasia.

The ASHA review that subsequently analyzed this study reports significant improvements in naming, writing, repetition, reading, functional independence and quality of life in the study group after three 45-minute sessions per week for eight weeks.

The results concern a small sample and should be interpreted in the context of the study design and participant characteristics.

📄 View the article on ScienceDirect

An article published in 2014 in the journal NeuroRehabilitation describes the rehabilitation of a patient with severe, non-fluent chronic expressive aphasia following a stroke.

PowerAFA was used as part of an intensive program that also included conventional rehabilitation. The authors reported improvements in several cognitive and language functions, including attention, memory, naming, verbal comprehension, writing and communication skills.

As this was a single clinical case, the article documents a specific experience and does not constitute general proof of effectiveness.

📄 View the study on PubMed

A rapid review published in 2026 and included in the ASHA Evidence Maps examined 20 studies of commercial software for post-stroke aphasia rehabilitation.

For PowerAFA, the review identifies Level II evidence relating to language skills, functional communication and quality of life. The summary refers to the study involving 17 participants and the reported improvements in naming, writing, repetition, reading, functional independence and quality of life.

The authors also identify important limitations in the overall evidence: few studies for each program, small samples, differences between protocols and possible selection bias.

📄 View the summary in the ASHA Evidence Maps

• language skills;
• naming;
• writing;
• repetition;
• reading;
• functional communication;
• functional independence;
• quality of life.

These outcomes refer to the participants and protocols analyzed, not to every potential user of the software.

In an interview published by FinestrAperta, Dr Simona Leonardi, a psychologist at the IRCCS Centro Neurolesi “Bonino-Pulejo” in Messina, describes the use of PowerAFA in the cognitive rehabilitation of patients with post-stroke aphasia.

The experience is presented within a multidisciplinary rehabilitation program involving several professional roles, in which the software is one of the available tools.

📰 Read the interview “Per mettere in ordine le parole”

In a second interview published by FinestrAperta, Dr Rosaria De Luca cites PowerAFA among the software programs used at the center for the rehabilitation of language and cognitive impairments.

The article presents computer-assisted tools and rehabilitation technologies as complementary resources to be integrated with traditional methods and professional care.

📰 Read the interview “Riabilitarsi con la realtà virtuale”

The evidence review published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence in 2023 examines computer-assisted tools used to increase opportunities for therapy and language practice after a stroke.

The document notes that these tools can provide a wide range of customizable materials, facilitate home practice and supplement face-to-face therapy. It also states that the quality of the evidence ranges from high to very low and is predominantly low.

This review concerns digital tools as a general category and is not a specific evaluation of PowerAFA.

📚 View the NICE review on NCBI Bookshelf

An article published in the American Heart Association journal Stroke examines advances and innovations in aphasia treatment research, including new study models and technology-assisted treatment approaches.

This source helps place computer-assisted exercises within the development of aphasia rehabilitation, but it does not directly assess PowerAFA's features or outcomes.

📚 View the American Heart Association article

• PowerAFA has been used in published research;
• a study involving 17 participants reported positive outcomes across several measures;
• a clinical case documented improvements during a combined rehabilitation program;
• an ASHA review classified the available evidence;
• healthcare professionals have described its use in rehabilitation practice;
• general reviews recognize the potential role of computer-assisted tools in increasing opportunities for practice.

• that PowerAFA is suitable for every type and severity of aphasia;
• that the same outcomes are guaranteed for every person;
• that the software can be used without appropriately selecting the exercises;
• that it can replace a speech-language pathologist or other healthcare professionals;
• that general sources on software constitute direct validation of PowerAFA.

Studies should be interpreted by considering sample size, research design, treatment duration and participant characteristics.