The spontaneous expressive language abilities of 9 severely brain-injured children/adolescents and age- matched normal controls were examined over a 12-month period following injury. Subjects demonstrated improvement on the majority of measures, but only a few reached the level of their control subjects. Interindividual variability was…

A study of the management of literacy needs of rehabilitation clients moving from the health sector back into the community is reported. Focusing on people with physical impairments or brain damage, the study examined what health professionals know about adult literacy programs, identification and management of literacy needs, and perception of…

In a simulation, the lesioning of a connectionist model that maps orthographic inputs onto semantic features produces several counterintuitive behaviors that are also shown by acquired-dyslexic patients. The similarity strengthens the suggestion that the connectionist approach captures a key aspect of human cognitive processing. (SLD)

This paper assesses the psychometric features of instruments used in assessing outcomes for survivors of traumatic brain injury, and describes a test development framework based on the principles of construct validity. This approach is seen to avoid common measurement difficulties. Emphasis is on cognitive and social dimensions of recovery.…

This article presents a definition of traumatic brain injury (TBI); describes problem behavioral characteristics of students post-TBI and some possible solutions; examines academic, social, emotional, and cognitive factors; and outlines interventions to assist teachers in working constructively with TBI students. (JDD)

Validity of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R) intersubtest scatter as an indicator of cognitive impairment due to brain dysfunction was studied with 316 brain-damaged men. When compared with the WAIS-R standardization sample, intersubtest scatter was not greater for normal persons of similar intelligence quotient. (SLD)

This study of comprehension of metaphors found that 11 adolescents with traumatic brain injury (TBI) exhibited little difference in comprehension compared to that of 18 normal adolescents. Ten adolescents with language learning disability, in contrast, demonstrated significantly poorer comprehension of metaphors than did both the normal subjects…

This overview of traumatic brain injuries discusses (1) incidence and prevalence; (2) characteristics; (3) the recovery process; and (4) educational/medical assessment, including premorbid functioning, current functioning, educationally relevant medical issues, and amount and type of family support. (JDD)

This attempt to determine the reliability of the Modified Ashworth Scale for assessing the severity of muscle spasticity for ankle plantarflexors in 30 patients with traumatic brain injury concluded that the reliability was minimally adequate to support the scale's continued use. Interrater reliability was less than that previously reported for…

Four validity scales were developed for the Neuropsychology Behavior and Affect Profile using data from clinical and nonclinical samples. A second study, which involved 157 subjects, indicated that combinations of the clinical and validity scales effectively differentiated dissemblers from brain injury patients, even when dissemblers were highly…

A sample of 103 intervention outcome studies was considered to confirm best practices for intervention for challenging behavior in persons with intellectual disability and acquired brain injury and to establish service conditions associated with its effectiveness. Evidence supports the effectiveness of behavioral interventions. Problems with…

This article discusses a theory that William Cruickshank had that children with brain injuries would benefit from learning in a classroom environment with plain-colored uniform furniture. The case illustrates that a development in human services that is viewed as a very major at one time can become quickly forgotten. (Contains references.) (CR)

The aim of the present study was to determine whether monitoring measures are differentially disturbed in dysexecutive patients after frontal lesions. Twelve dysexecutive patients and 12 healthy controls were administered a paired-associates learning task. Their performances on recall prediction, judgment-of-learning (JOL), and feeling-of-knowing…

Roughly 20 per cent of all students in higher education have sustained clinically significant head injuries during childhood or adolescence. Although these injuries typically do not seem to lead to any long-term intellectual deficits, little is known about their possible impact upon the students' academic attainment. Nevertheless, many…

This paper summarizes research on clinical applications of music therapy with closed head injury clients. It offers a rationale for including music therapy in interdisciplinary rehabilitation. The Rancho Los Amigos Levels of Cognitive Functioning are outlined, and therapeutic assessment and treatment procedures are discussed. Rehabilitation…