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Participants’ perspectives of feasibility of a novel group treatment for people with cognitive communication difficulties following acquired brain injury

Behn, N. ORCID: 0000-0001-9356-9957, Marshall, J. ORCID: 0000-0002-6589-221X, Togher, L. & Cruice, M. ORCID: 0000-0001-7344-2262 (2019). Participants’ perspectives of feasibility of a novel group treatment for people with cognitive communication difficulties following acquired brain injury. Disability and Rehabilitation, 43(2), pp. 171-180. doi: 10.1080/09638288.2019.1618929

Abstract

Purpose: To determine whether treatment was acceptable to participants and perceived as beneficial by exploring the experiences of people with cognitive communication difficulties following acquired brain injury who participated in a novel, group, communication, project-based treatment. The purpose of the treatment was to improve participants’ communication skills and quality of life, by focusing group activity towards the production of a project and by incorporating individualised communication goals into group sessions.

Methods: Twenty-one people with acquired brain injury recruited from community settings participated in project-based treatment, which comprised one individual and nine group sessions (of 2-3 people) over six weeks. Structured interviews were conducted post-treatment as part of a broader assessment battery. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using content analysis to identify codes, categories and themes.

Results: Themes identified from the analysis centred around the treatment experience (general experience; group experience; project experience; working on goals) and benefit of treatment (communicative benefit; other benefits; emotional effects; meeting others; something to do). These themes were consistent with the treatment being perceived as acceptable and having initial efficacy for the participant group.

Conclusion: The qualitative data presented here provide positive feasibility findings (acceptability and initial efficacy) of project-based treatment for people with acquired brain injury. The results
highlight the value of incorporating participants’ views in assessing feasibility in developing novel interventions.

Publication Type: Article
Additional Information: This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Disability and Rehabilitation on 26 May 2019, available online: https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2019.1618929
Publisher Keywords: Cognitive-communication; feasibility; brain injury; qualitative research; group; acceptability
Subjects: P Language and Literature > P Philology. Linguistics
R Medicine > RC Internal medicine > RC0321 Neuroscience. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry
Departments: School of Health & Psychological Sciences > Language & Communication Science
SWORD Depositor:
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