Prospective memory rehabilitation using smartphones in patients with TBI

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness of a prospective memory aid that combines smartphones with Internet-based calendars among community-dwelling patients with traumatic brain injury.

Method: An uncontrolled pre- and post-assessment design was employed to study the use of unmodified, low-cost, off-the-shelf smartphones combined with Internet-calendars as a compensatory memory strategy in community-dwelling patients with traumatic brain injury. Thirteen participants received a 6-week group-based intervention with pre-, post- and 2-month follow-up-assessments by questionnaires and by daily assessment of target behaviors for 2-week periods.

Results: Participants reported significantly fewer retro- and prospective memory problems on questionnaires after the intervention and at follow-up with large effect sizes. The performance of target behaviors, however, improved insignificantly with moderate effect sizes. There were no changes in quality of life or symptoms of emotional distress.

Conclusions: This study adds to a growing body of evidence that smartphones are a useful compensatory aid in rehabilitation of prospective memory that should routinely be considered in rehabilitation of traumatic brain injury patients.

Implication for rehabilitation

• Smartphones are easy-to-use and accessible assistive technology for compensatory memory rehabilitation to most traumatic brain injury patients.

• By using low-cost, off-the-shelf devices, the technology becomes available to a broader range of patients.

• By combining smartphones with Internet-based and cross-platform services (e.g., calendars, contacts) the participants are less device-dependent and less vulnerable to data loss.

• Smartphones should routinely be considered as compensatory aid in rehabilitation of prospective memory of traumatic brain injured patients.

Keywords:

• Assistive technology
• prospective memory
• neurorehabilitation
• memory disorders
• compensatory strategy
• Internet calendar

Acknowledgements

I would like to express my gratitude to the research assistant, Ditte Madsen, who performed the pre- and post-assessment of the participants with great thoroughness and care.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.