Rehabilitating the verbal recall of brain-injured patients by mnemonic training: An experimental demonstration using single-case methodology

Abstract

The efficacy of mnemonic training was demonstrated in four patients using a multiple baseline across cases (“subjects')” design. Three patients had brain injury associated with vascular malfunction; one had congenital brain damage. They were seen for 18 sessions in which they were tested and trained on a word list retention task commonly used in information processing research. The task requires the retention of three words over an interval in which zero, three, or nine additional words have been read. In the initial six or 12 sessions the patient was told to “do your best”, and these sessions served as a baseline. In the final 12 or six sessions, training and practice in mnemonic elaboration (Bower & Clark, 1969; Craik & Watkins, 1973) were instituted. In this multiple baseline across cases design, the initiation of treatment is staggered in order to dissociate treatment effects from practice and recovery effects. All patients showed gains associated with the institution of training. In one case, the gains were substantial. In short, the results of this study demonstrate the successful rehabilitation of an aspect of verbal memory using an experimental methodology oriented to understanding individual performance. This approach to research in rehabilitation has many advantages not shared by traditional designs oriented to testing hypotheses about group averages.