An examination of the Effectiveness of a Cognitive Group Intervention for People with Acquired Brain Injury

Neuropsychological rehabilitation is concerned with enabling people with brain injury to achieve their maximum potential in various domains such as psychological, social, leisure, vocational or everyday functioning. This study investigated, in a sample of people with Acquired Brain Injury (ABI), whether participating in a twelve-week group intervention brings about significant change in areas of cognition, community integration, satisfaction with life, distress, cognitive self-evaluation and knowledge of brain injury. Thirty-two participants (n = 32) with an ABI took part in this matched control study. Participants completed a series of neuropsychological tests (California Verbal Learning Test-Second Edition (CVLT-II); Trail Making Test; Sustained Attention Response Task (SART); and Digit-Span Task) and questionnaires (Community Integration Questionnaire; Satisfaction With Life Scale; Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; Cognitive Group Self-Evaluation; and Knowledge of Brain Injury Questionnaire) at three timepoints over a nine month period. Results showed a significant overall effect across the three timepoints in the intervention group on elements of the CVLT-II test and a significant overall effect across the three timepoints in both groups on elements of the Trail Making Test. A significant effect was seen between T1 and T2 in the intervention group on elements of the SART and Digit Span tests, and for the control group, significant effects between these two timepoints were seen on elements of the Trail Making Test, SART (target reaction time subscale) and the Digit Span test (disimprovment in performance between T1 and T2). Significant effects were seen between T2 and T3 for the intervention group on elements of the Trail Making Test and for the control group on elements of the CVLT-II test. Significant effects were seen between T1 and T3 for the intervention group on elements of the Trail Making and SART tests and for the control group, on elements of the CVLT-II test and Cognitive Self Evaluation questionnaire. There was a significant difference in Knowledge of Brain Injury scores for the main effect of time. This study provides some support for the effectiveness of a group-based intervention combining psychoeducation, basic strategy training and stress management techniques for individuals with ABI and has important implications for neurorehabilitation service providers, individuals with an ABI and their families