Measuring outcomes of a peer-led social communication skills intervention for adults with acquired brain injury: A pilot investigation

ABSTRACT

Reduced social competence following severe acquired brain injury (ABI) is well-documented. This pilot study investigated a peer-led group intervention based on the claim that peer models may be a more effective mechanism for behaviour change than clinician-led approaches. Twelve participants with severe ABI were recruited from a post-acute neurorehabilitation setting and randomly assigned to either a peer-led intervention or a staff-led activity group (usual care) (Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT02211339). The groups met twice a week for 8 weeks. A peer was trained separately to facilitate interaction in the intervention group. Training comprised 16 individual sessions over 4 weeks. Group behaviour was measured twice at baseline, after intervention and at maintenance (4 weeks), using the Adapted Measure of Participation in Conversation (MPC) and the Interactional Network Tool (INT), a newly devised measure of group conversational interaction. Outcome measures showed differential sensitivity. The groups did not differ in baseline behaviour. Findings showed a significant improvement in the treated group on the MPC transaction scale post-intervention (p = .02). The intervention group showed more balanced interaction post-intervention on the INT and at follow-up. Findings show preliminary evidence of the advantage for peer-led groups. The INT shows promise as a method to detect a change in group communication behaviour.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02211339.

KEYWORDS:

• Brain injury
• Communication
• Rehabilitation
• Social networks
• Intervention, group

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Adam Searle of TGC Consulting Ltd for support with the INT, and Anthony Geffen and the team at Atlantic Productions for advising on the filming protocol. Susan Howell is supported by a postdoctoral award from the Economic and Social Research Council [grant reference ES/T008504/1].

Disclosure statement

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