Memory Deficit Compensation Among Survivors of Traumatic Brain Injury

Memory impairment is an outcome of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), and associated with lower levels of post-morbid adjustment. This research isolated the memory impairment of retrieval deficit, and examined the efficacy of cues and mnemonics in remediating the impairment. Thirty-three male and female TBI survivors, 18 to 71 years old, were pre-tested for attention (COPY), short-term memory (SD), long-term memory (LD) and recognition memory (RS) employing the Rey Osterrieth Complex Figure Test (CFT), and Subtest. Sixteen subjects demonstrating a retrieval deficit were administered the post-test, with even random assignment into four treatment conditions: a control group (CONTROL), a group administered cues (CUES), a group administered mnemonics {MNEM), and a group administered mnemonics and cues (BOTH) (n = 4). A MANOVA revealed a significant effect of TRIAL (p5.05), no significant effect of TREATMENT, and no interaction. A power analysis indicated the lack of TREATMENT effect could be the result of sample size. Post-hoc t tests revealed a difference across TRIAL for SD and LO in the two experimental conditions which utilized mnemonics. The sample was divided into two groups according to subjects\u27 level of functioning (HIGH and LOW). A MANOVA showed main effects for LEVEL for SD and RS, for TRIAL for SD, LO, and RS, and a LEVEL by TRIAL interaction for COPY (