The perspectives of participants with traumatic brain injury on prospective memory rehabilitation incorporating compensatory and metacognitive skills training

Jennifer Fleming; Caitlin Hamilton; Tamara Ownsworth; Emmah Doig; Sarah Swan; Elizabeth Holmes; Janelle Griffin; David H K Shum

doi:10.1016/j.pec.2023.108023

The perspectives of participants with traumatic brain injury on prospective memory rehabilitation incorporating compensatory and metacognitive skills training

Patient Educ Couns. 2024 Jan:118:108023. doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2023.108023. Epub 2023 Oct 20.

Authors

Jennifer Fleming¹, Caitlin Hamilton², Tamara Ownsworth³, Emmah Doig⁴, Sarah Swan², Elizabeth Holmes², Janelle Griffin⁵, David H K Shum⁶

Affiliations

¹ School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. Electronic address: j.fleming@uq.edu.au.
² School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
³ School of Applied Psychology & The Hopkins Centre, Menzies Health Institute of Queensland, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia.
⁴ School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia; Surgical Treatment and Rehabilitation Service (STARS) Education and Research Alliance, The University of Queensland and Metro North Health, Brisbane, Australia.
⁵ Occupational Therapy Department, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Australia.
⁶ Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China.

PMID: 37866073
DOI: 10.1016/j.pec.2023.108023

Abstract

Objective: Patient feedback is rarely gathered systematically in cognitive rehabilitation research. This study examined the perceptions and experiences of people with traumatic brain injury (TBI) who participated in a trial of a 6-session educational program for the rehabilitation of prospective memory (PM) impairment.

Methods: A mixed methods design was used with 47 participants with TBI who completed a compensatory strategy training program (COMP) or COMP plus metacognitive strategy training program (COMP-MST) delivered by an occupational therapist. Data were collected via a participant survey, extracts from progress notes, and audiotaped discussions about learnings from the program during the final session.

Results: Participants from both programs were highly satisfied and perceived improvements in everyday PM performance post-intervention. Elements that were highly valued include setting individualised client-centred goals, repetitive training of strategy use, establishing habits and routines, and receiving experiential, verbal, and written feedback.Changes including more therapy sessions were recommended.

Conclusions: Both the COMP and COMP-MST programs were perceived as effective by participants with TBI in improving their PM performance in everyday life using compensatory strategies such as assistive technology.

Practice implications: Routine collection of patient feedback on cognitive rehabilitation can provide valuable information to support person-centred implementation of clinical practice guidelines.

Keywords: Assistive technology; Consumer feedback; Occupational therapy; Qualitative research; Self-awareness.

MeSH terms

Brain Injuries, Traumatic* / psychology
Brain Injuries, Traumatic* / rehabilitation
Clinical Trials as Topic
Cognition
Humans
Learning
Memory Disorders
Memory, Episodic*
Treatment Outcome