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Dysexecutive symptoms and carer strain following acquired brain injury: Changes measured before and after holistic neuropsychological rehabilitation.

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

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Authors

Goodwin, Rachel A 
Lincoln, Nadina B 

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Following acquired brain injury (ABI), deficits in executive functioning (EF) are common. As a result many brain-injured patients encounter problems in every-day functioning, and their families experience significant strain. Previous research has documented the benefits of cognitive rehabilitation for executive dysfunction, and rehabilitation programmes designed to ameliorate functional problems associated with ABI. OBJECTIVES: This study primarily aims to evaluate whether a neuropsychological rehabilitation programme reduces reported symptoms of everyday dysexecutive behaviour and carer strain. METHODS: In this study 66 ABI outpatients attended comprehensive holistic neuropsychological rehabilitation programme. A repeated-measures design was employed to determine the effect of rehabilitation on EF and carer strain, as part of a service evaluation. Outcome measures comprised the dysexecutive questionnaire (DEX/DEX-I) and carer strain index (CSI), applied pre- and post-rehabilitation. RESULTS: Results indicate rehabilitation benefited clients and carers in 5 of 6 DEX/DEX-I subscales, and 2 of 3 CSI subscales, (p < 0.05). An effect of aetiology on rehabilitation was found on the metacognitive scale of the DEX-I. CONCLUSIONS: Therefore, this study supports a comprehensive holistic neuropsychological rehabilitation programme as effective in reducing reported symptoms of dysexecutive behaviour and carer strain following ABI.

Description

Keywords

Neuropsychological rehabilitation, aetiology, brain injury, carer strain, executive function, Adolescent, Adult, Brain Injuries, Caregivers, Child, Cost of Illness, Executive Function, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Neurological Rehabilitation, Neuropsychological Tests, Stress, Psychological, Surveys and Questionnaires, Treatment Outcome, Young Adult

Journal Title

NeuroRehabilitation

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

1053-8135
1878-6448

Volume Title

39

Publisher

IOS Press
Sponsorship
Andrew Bateman is supported by National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care East of England at Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust.