Second language acquisition after traumatic brain injury: A case study

Abstract

Background. Post-traumatic language and memory impairment, as well as a subsequent recovery in monolinguals have been widely documented in the literature, yet little is known about learning the second language after a severe head trauma followed by coma, as well as the relationship of this process with cognitive recovery, psychological status and quality of life.

Purpose. The present study investigates the relationship of learning the second language (English) in the process of rehabilitation, with quality of life in a Polish female university student who, as a result of a car accident, suffered a major closed-head injury and was comatose for a month.

Method. The subject was enrolled in an English learning program nine months after the trauma. The experiment lasted six months and comprised monthly meetings.

Results. The patient improved the major components of the second language, including vocabulary. Within the 6 months, the subject was gradually capable of learning additional and more complex lexical items.

Discussion. Learning the second language after traumatic brain injury may positively influence emotional well-being, self-esteem, and, perhaps, recovery of quality of life. A long-term beneficial effect of learning L2 was a consequential improvement of the patient's memory.

Keywords:

• Traumatic brain injury
• cognition
• bilingual
• polyglot
• quality of life

Notes

1. According to Petropolou et al. [25], work status is the most powerful and consistent predictor of QOL after TBI.