Mental flexibility and planning skills in children and adolescents with learning disabilities.

Mental flexibility (skill with shifting response set) and visual planning skills were examined with a group of 60 children and adolescents with learning disabilities. The sample consisted of 44 boys and 16 girls with an age range of 9 to 15. Scores from the Trail Making Test and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test were cluster-analyzed and subgroups were formulated.

Neuropsychological skills with motor dysfunctional and motor normal children.

A group of 40 children was selected from a larger sample based on their performance on motor coordination, motor speed, and motor inhibition tasks. Twenty of the children were classified as Motor Dysfunctional (MD) and 20 were classified as Motor Normal (MN). The groups were compared on several neuropsychological measures.

Driving after a severe head injury.

The driving activities of 50 head-injury survivors were surveyed 6 months or more post-discharge. Of these, 21 (42%) possessed a valid drivers licence, but only 19 (38%) were actually operating motor vehicles at follow-up. Only measures of spatial/perceptual deficits were found to discriminate between groups of drivers and non-drivers.

Treating urinary incontinence in a head-injured adult.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of four behavioural procedures in helping a head-injured adult to control diurnal and nocturnal enuresis. A multiple baseline, single subject research design was utilized to test the effectiveness of those procedures. Data were collected for a period of seven months, including four months of baseline and intervention, and three months of follow-up.

Family-staff conflict in the rehabilitation setting: causes, consequences, and implications.

The context in which staff-family conflict occurs in the TBI rehabilitation setting is outlined including the sources of stress specific to each group and the needs of family members during the recovery process. The ways in which both family members and professionals exacerbate the conflict are described, followed by implications for facility management posture, programme development, and research.

A comprehensive alcohol abuse treatment programme for persons with traumatic brain injury.

The concerns of dual disability problems of substance abuse and traumatic brain injury have been documented and well recognized by rehabilitation professionals. Substance abuse treatment programmes for TBI, however, have been lacking. The purpose of this paper is to suggest both the framework and the content of interventions designed to prevent and treat alcohol abuse in traumatic brain injury clients.