An assistive-technology intervention for verbose speech after traumatic brain injury: a single case study

• Published in: The journal of head trauma rehabilitation Vol. 19; no. 5; p. 366
• Main Authors: Kirsch, Ned L, Shenton, Michelle, Spirl, Erin, Simpson, Rich, Lopresti, Edmund, Schreckenghost, Debra
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.09.2004
• Subjects: Adult; Brain Injuries - rehabilitation; Computers, Handheld; Cues; Humans; Male; Task Performance and Analysis; Verbal Behavior
• ISSN: 0885-9701
• DOI: 10.1097/00001199-200409000-00002

To assess an assistive-technology intervention for neurobehavioral change, coordinated with a Web-based data recording system. Male, mid-thirties, with a complex history, having verbose speech subsequent to traumatic brain injury. BAB' single-case. INTERVENTION AND MEASURES: The intervention (B and B' trials) was a digital recording of the participant's voice, stating "be brief," delivered at fixed intervals by a personal digital assistant. Utterance start and stop times were monitored with a wireless, Web-enabled device and were recorded in a server-side database. Utterance frequency did not change. However, the total utterance time was reduced during B trials, attributable to the reduced frequency of lengthier utterances. The target behavior was modified successfully. The participant adopted a specific cue-appropriate strategy. Since a variety of alternative response strategies may be required of a person, given a range of context-specific social practices and community settings, the importance of context-sensitive assistive technology cue repertoires is discussed.