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Improving Communication-specific Coping after Traumatic Brain Injury: Evaluation of a New Treatment using Single-case Experimental Design

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 January 2015

Jacinta M. Douglas ,
Lucy Knox ,
Carren De Maio  and
Helen Bridge
Jacinta M. Douglas*
Affiliation:
Department of Human Communication Sciences, La Trobe University, Victoria, Australia Summer Foundation, Victoria, Australia
Lucy Knox
Affiliation:
Department of Human Communication Sciences, La Trobe University, Victoria, Australia
Carren De Maio
Affiliation:
Department of Human Communication Sciences, La Trobe University, Victoria, Australia Scope, Victoria, Australia
Helen Bridge
Affiliation:
Department of Human Communication Sciences, La Trobe University, Victoria, Australia Beachside and South Eastern Suburbs Speech Pathology Services, Victoria, Australia
*
Address for correspondence: Prof. Jacinta Douglas, Department of Human Communication Sciences, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, 3086, Australia. E-mail: J.Douglas@latrobe.edu.au
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Abstract

Background and aims: Impaired communication is a well-documented and enduring consequence of traumatic brain injury (TBI). As a result of this impairment, people with TBI frequently experience communication breakdown and associated stress. Typically, we use communication-specific coping strategies in situations characterised by communication breakdown. Productive strategies enhance message transfer; non-productive strategies do little to resolve problems and frequently result in negative social interaction. This research aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a new treatment, Communication-specific Coping Intervention (CommCope-I), which specifically targets coping in the context of communication breakdown.

Method: Single-case experimental design (A–B–A with follow-up using multiple probes) across two participants was used. Participants were Samantha, a 30-year-old woman who had sustained severe TBI 8 years previously, and Thomas, a 34-year-old man who had sustained severe TBI when he was 29 years old. CommCope-I is a 6-week programme which targets personally relevant productive coping strategies identified collaboratively with the client. Productive coping scripts are developed and practised through a series of graded scenarios that are evaluated with the aid of video recording.

Results: Percentage of non-overlapping corrected data (PNCD) was used to analyse the results. PNCD involves a data-correction procedure to remove baseline trend from the data series prior to calculating the change produced as a result of intervention. A large treatment effect was demonstrated in both participants (PNCD: end of treatment Samantha = 100%, Thomas = 100%, 3-month follow-up Samantha = 100%, Thomas = 100%). These results are consistent with highly effective treatment.

Conclusions: This study provides sound phase-1 evidence for the effectiveness of CommCope-I.

Keywords

brain injuryrehabilitationcommunicationcopingtreatmentevaluation
Type
Articles
Information
Brain Impairment , Volume 15 , Issue 3 , December 2014 , pp. 190 - 201
Copyright
Copyright © Australasian Society for the Study of Brain Impairment 2015 

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