A Randomized Controlled Trial of Emotion Recognition Training After Traumatic Brain Injury. Issue 3 (May 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Neumann, Dawn; Babbage, Duncan R.; Zupan, Barbra; Willer, Barry
• Is Part Of: Journal of head trauma rehabilitation. Volume 30:Issue 3(2015:May/Jun.)
• Publication Date: 2015-05
• Subjects: Brain damage -- Patients -- Rehabilitation -- Periodicals; Brain damage -- Periodicals; 617.4810443
• DOI: 10.1097/HTR.0000000000000054
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0885-9701

Abstract

<abstract> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec> <title>Objective:</title> <p>To examine the effectiveness of 2 affect recognition interventions (Faces and Stories) in people with a traumatic brain injury.</p> </sec> <sec> <title>Setting:</title> <p>Postacute rehabilitation facilities.</p> </sec> <sec> <title>Participants:</title> <p>A total of 203 participants with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury were screened; 71 were eligible and randomized to the Faces (<italic>n</italic> = 24), Stories (<italic>n</italic> = 23), and Control interventions (<italic>n</italic> = 24). Participants were an average of 39.8 years of age and 10.3 years postinjury; 74% of participants were male.</p> </sec> <sec> <title>Design:</title> <p>Randomized controlled trial with immediate, 3-month, and 6-month follow-up posttests. Interventions were 9 hours of computer-based training with a therapist.</p> </sec> <sec> <title>Measures:</title> <p>Diagnostic Assessment of Nonverbal Accuracy 2-Adult Faces; Emotional Inference From Stories Test; Empathy (Interpersonal Reactivity Index); and Irritability and Aggression (Neuropsychiatric Inventory).</p> </sec> <sec> <title>Results:</title> <p>The Faces Intervention did significantly better than the Control Intervention on the Diagnostic Assessment of Nonverbal Accuracy 2-Adult Faces (<italic>P</italic> = .031) posttreatment; no time effect or group interaction was observed. No other significant differences were noted for the Faces Intervention. No significant differences were observed between the Stories and the Control Interventions; however, a significant time effect was found for the Emotional Inference From Stories Test.</p> </sec> <sec> <title>Conclusion:</title> <p>The Faces Intervention effectively improved facial affect recognition in participants with chronic post–traumatic brain injury, and changes were maintained for 6 months. Future work should focus on generalizing this skill to functional behaviors.</p> </sec> </abstract>