Engagement in rehabilitation therapy and functional outcomes among individuals with acquired brain injuries

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose was to examine the role of therapy engagement as a potential mediator for the relationship between neuropsychological performance and functional outcomes.

Materials and method: Participants were 94 adults with medically documented ABI recruited from three outpatient rehabilitation clinics at the start of occupational therapy. Participants (57% men) ranged from 18 to 82 in age, with the majority (81%) having completed 12 or more years of education. They completed a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment at baseline. Separately, occupational therapists (OTs) assessed functional independence and disability at baseline and follow up. The OTs also rated the participants’ therapy engagement.

Results: Therapy engagement predicted functional outcomes and mediated the relationship between neuropsychological performance and outcomes. Moreover, therapy engagement accounted for unique variance in functional outcome, even after accounting for education, comorbid health conditions, emotional distress, apathy, and baseline functional ability.

Conclusions: Engagement in therapy is a crucial patient characteristic in successful rehabilitation outcome. Cognitive deficits associated with ABI undermine full engagement in rehabilitation therapy, which in turn diminishes potential gains made in therapy and functional recovery. Neuropsychological assessment can enhance rehabilitation outcomes by identifying characteristics that underlie therapy engagement, which can ultimately be used to maximize the effectiveness of individualized treatment plans.

Implications for rehabilitation

• Neuropsychological assessment can identify cognitive abilities that are strongly related to functional outcomes during occupational therapy for acquired brain injury.

• Therapy engagement is an important pathway by which neuropsychological impairment predicts functional outcomes after acquired brain injuries.

Keywords:

• Neuropsychological assessment
• therapy engagement
• functional outcomes
• prediction
• acquired brain injury

Acknowledgments

It is important to acknowledge, first and foremost, all of the patients and occupational therapists that participated in this study. Without them, this work would not have been possible.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

Additional information

Funding

This project was funded in part by Wayne State University Graduate School and a Foundation for Rehabilitation Psychology Dissertation Award.