Prospective Memory in Children with an Acquired Brain Injury
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Content-Free Cueing and 'Remembering Goals' Training: The Rehabilitation of Prospective Memory Deficits Following Paediatric Acquired Brain Injury
IRAS ID
150366
Contact name
Steven Mahan
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Exeter
Research summary
Evidence suggests that memory and executive functioning (EF) systems rarely fully recover following an Acquired Brain Injury (ABI; Middleton, 2001). Although it is suggested that prospective memory (PM) difficulties (difficulties in remembering to carry out a planned action in the future; Ellis, 1996) are a common consequence of paediatric ABI (pABI), there is little research evidence available surrounding the most effective rehabilitation approaches (Rous, 2011; Catroppa & Anderson, 2009).
The current study aims to investigate a possible intervention for PM deficits following pABI, building upon the work by Rous (2011). The current study will examine the effects of brief 'Remembering Goals' Training (RGT) and external content-free cueing (in the form of text messages) on PM task performance and the achievement of ‘real life’ goals. RGT is an intervention that has been developed to facilitate self-regulation of goals in individuals experiencing EF and memory difficulties. Participants will be asked to remember to send a text at three set times a day; the number of texts sent, and timing accuracy of these texts, will be scored to produce a PM task score.
The research will employ a single-case series design with randomised, alternating treatments (Barlow & Hayes, 1979). This will permit the exploration of the effects of the intervention on PM performance (number and accuracy of text times) by comparing PM task performance and real-life goal attainment on days receiving external content-free cueing to days without cues.
Participants shall be 12-17 years old, experience PM deficits and be medically and cognitively stable following an ABI. They will be recruited from the Paediatric Neuropsychology Department at Bristol Royal Hospital for Children, Bristol.
Currently, the most effective interventions for clinical use remain uncertain; the proposed study will contribute to the evidence-base for effective and targeted PM interventions following pABI.
REC name
South West - Central Bristol Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/SW/1008
Date of REC Opinion
2 Sep 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion