Executive Functioning Deficits Following Right Hemisphere Brain Damage: A Systematic Review

Background: A growing body of literature has indicated that various executive functioning (EF) abilities are compromised subsequent to right hemisphere brain damage (RHD). EF supports communication and other complex daily activities via planning, monitoring, and controlling other cognitive processes to accomplish goal-oriented behaviors. Individuals with intact EF can achieve desirable tasks through fine cognitive control. The ability to use and understand pragmatics and discourse is dependent on one or more of these EF abilities. Consequently, if one of these cognitive abilities is impaired, communication challenges are expected. Hypotheses/Objectives: The goals of this systematic review are to: (a) examine the RHD literature to identify EF deficits and the standardized EF assessments used to detect these deficits; and, (b) evaluate the psychometric properties of EF assessments being used in this literature. Methods: CINAHL, Scopus, PsychInfo, and PubMed electronic databases were searched between 1980 and November 2018. A total of 10,163 articles of any study types were identified and screened. For the 124 studies that met the inclusion criteria, various data regarding EF abilities and assessment procedures will be extracted. Moreover, two assessment tools will be adapted and used to rate the quality of the included articles and the standardized EF assessments. Future Directions/Implications: This systematic review will allow researchers and clinicians alike to identify gaps within the RHD literature pertaining to EF abilities, the types of EF assessments available and currently used in RHD investigations, as well as the type of clinical and demographic data being collected to characterize individuals with RHD