Communication interventions for individuals with acquired brain injury.

OBJECTIVE

This review synthesizes studies involving communication interventions for individuals with acquired brain injury (ABI).

METHODS

Systematic searches of electronic databases, journals and reference lists identified 21 studies meeting inclusion criteria. These studies were evaluated in terms of: (a) participants, (b) communication mode, (c) targeted communication skills, (d) intervention procedures, (e) intervention results and (f) certainty of evidence.

RESULTS

Across these studies, intervention was provided to a total of 184 participants aged 4-86 years. Communication skills targeted included: (a) social/conversational skills, (b) labelling objects, (c) receptive language, (d) sentence construction, (e) decreasing verbosity and (f) multiple skill areas. Intervention approaches were categorized as systematic/direct instruction, discussion and role play or not clearly described. Positive outcomes were reported in 57% of the studies, with three studies categorized as conclusive.

CONCLUSION

This literature base is considered inconclusive due to the lack of conclusive studies, the limited number of participants and the lack of replication for any single intervention approach.