Performance of Children with and without Traumatic Brain Injury on the Contextual Memory Test (CMT)

Abstract

Deficits in memory are among the most significant and pervasive neuropsychological sequelae of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in children. This exploratory study investigated the use of the Contextual Memory Test (CMT) to measure aspects of memory and metamemory in children. Performance was scored on (1) immediate and delayed recall as well as recognition, and (2) self-awareness of memory ability. The study also investigated the capacity of the CMT to differentiate between children with and without traumatic brain injury.

Thirty children with severe brain injury (8 to 14 years old) were included in the research group. A comparison group of 30 typically developing children were matched for age, gender, educational level, and socio-demographic background.

Children with brain injury obtained significantly lower scores than children without brain injury. The self-awareness scores obtained following performance of the CMT by both research and comparison groups were significantly correlated with performance scores. Results of this study provide evidence of the discriminant validity of the CMT for use with children with brain injury.

Key Words:

• Memory
• metamemory
• traumatic brain injury
• assessment

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Tal Jarus

Michael Lepp, PT, is in private practice, Associate Instructor of the Upledger Institute, and Clinical Instructor, Case Western Reserve University School of Dentistry, Cleveland, OH.

Marie McKenzie, MS, OTR, is in private practice. She was Coordinator of Occupational Therapy at Scottish Rite Hospital at the time of this study.

Heather Miller, MS, OTR/L, is currently employed by Madison County Educational Service Center, providing therapy services to the county's pre-schools. This research was completed in partial fulfillment of the requirements of an MS degree at Ohio State University.

Linda Viscardis, BA, is Team Leader and Community Development Worker, Peterborough Family Enrichment Centre. She is Co-Founder of P.R.O.S.P.E.C.T.S., a support and advocacy group for families who have children with special needs.

Debra Stewart, BSc, OT(C), is Occupational Therapist, Erinoak, Serving Young People with Physical Disabilities, Mississauga, ON, and Clinical Lecturer, School of Rehabilitation Science, McMaster University.

Janette McDougall, MA, was Project Coordinator

Kip Husted, BEd, was a parent representative on the study team.

Aviva Yochman, MA, OTR, was a student in the School of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel at the time of this study.

Imelda Burgman, MA OTR/L BCP, completed her MA in Movement Sciences at Teachers College, Columbia University, and was an Occupational Therapist at The Shield Institute, Bronx, NY. She is currently Lecturer, Habilitation, School of Community Health, Faculty of Health Studies, Charles Sturt University, Albury, N.S.W., Australia.