Improving self-awareness of prospective memory function after TBI using experiential feedback on a board game activity: An observational study

ABSTRACT

This study investigated whether experiential and video feedback on performance of prospective memory (PM) tasks embedded within a board game activity improved self-awareness of PM function in adults with moderate-severe traumatic brain injury. An observational pre–post study design with 26 participants from a larger trial of a 6-session PM rehabilitation programme. Sessions 3 and 4 included a board game activity with embedded time-, event-, and activity-based PM tasks. Verbal feedback was provided by therapists during the game and video feedback afterwards. Self-ratings of performance were used to divide the sample into under-estimators (n = 7), accurate estimators (n = 9) and over-estimators (n = 10) of actual PM performance. The discrepancy between self- and therapist ratings of PM performance was measured before and after the game, and following video feedback, and compared between timepoints using non-parametric statistics. Post-task self-evaluations were more accurate than pre-task self-evaluations for the under- and over-estimator groups. Under-estimators showed significant improvement in accuracy of ratings for activity-based PM. Over-estimators showed improvement for event-based PM. Further improvements after video feedback were not significant. The board game activity provided a vehicle for experiential feedback and a means of engaging both those with impaired self-awareness and heightened self-awareness of PM in cognitive rehabilitation.

KEYWORDS:

• Self-awareness
• Traumatic brain injury
• Rehabilitation
• Prospective memory
• Occupational therapy

Acknowledgements

The work was funded by a National Health and Medical Research Council Project Grant APP1083064. The authors wish to acknowledge Marika Mussawir, Kylie Watson, Giverny Parker, Dr Christy Hogan, Jasmine Koo, Janelle Griffin and Dr Melissa Kendall for their assistance with the project.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council [grant number APP1083064].