Assessment and Treatment of Cognition and Communication Skills in Adults With Acquired Brain Injury via Telepractice: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Limited findings, lack of diagnostic accuracy and treatment efficacy data, and heterogeneity of assessments and interventions precluded robust evaluation of clinical implications for telepractice equivalence and the broader area of telepractice efficacy. Future research is needed that will build upon current knowledge through replication. In addition, further evaluation at the impairment and activity limitation/participation restriction levels is needed.

Technology and its role in rehabilitation for people with cognitive-communication disability following a traumatic brain injury (TBI)

“…Indeed, telerehabilitation for people with TBI featured in 38 of the included papers (see Table 2), comprising 2 systematic reviews [39,79] Two systematic reviews [39,79] included a total of 26 studies evaluating tele-practice in TBI, support for family members (n = 16), assessment (n = 8), and intervention for cognitive impairment (n = 2). None of the intervention studies provided communication training for participants with a TBI or their communication partners, and the two cognitive intervention studies included only participants with mild cognitive impairments [39,79]. The focus of the controlled trials in the reviews was impairment-based assessment and intervention rather than function, activity limitations, or participation restrictions [39,131].…”

“…None of the intervention studies provided communication training for participants with a TBI or their communication partners, and the two cognitive intervention studies included only participants with mild cognitive impairments [39,79]. The focus of the controlled trials in the reviews was impairment-based assessment and intervention rather than function, activity limitations, or participation restrictions [39,131].…”

“…Cognitive-communication rehabilitation is now conducted via telerehabilitation with a substantial research interest in this area [28,39,79,84,89,93]. Indeed, telerehabilitation for MANUSCRIPT ACCEPTED -BRAIN INJURY: 02 FEBRUARY 2017 17 people with TBI featured in 38 of the included papers (see Table 2), comprising 2 systematic reviews [39,79], 22 group comparison trials [23][24][25]30,35,52,58,74,77,82,84,[98][99][100][104][105][106][108][109][110][111]113], 9 case series [28,50,80,83,93,97,101,102,107] Importantly, no statistically significant differences were found between the tele-practice and face-to-face intervention delivery methods [39,79].…”

“…Cognitive-communication rehabilitation is now conducted via telerehabilitation with a substantial research interest in this area [28,39,79,84,89,93]. Indeed, telerehabilitation for people with TBI featured in 38 of the included papers (see Table 2), comprising 2 systematic reviews [39,79] Two systematic reviews [39,79] included a total of 26 studies evaluating tele-practice in TBI, support for family members (n = 16), assessment (n = 8), and intervention for cognitive impairment (n = 2).…”

“…due to physical impairments, cognitive impairments, or geographical location) via the use of telephone, internet, and videoteleconferencing platforms, known as tele-practice, tele-health, or tele-rehabilitation [39].…”