Maintenance of treatment effects of an occupation-based intervention with video feedback for adults with TBI

BACKGROUND: Video feedback interventions have been found to improve self-awareness and occupational performance to a greater extent than other feedback interventions after traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, it is unclear whether the effects of video feedback are maintained over time. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the maintenance of gains in self-awareness achieved with a video feedback intervention in people with TBI. METHODS: There were 32 participants with TBI and impaired self-awareness who had completed a randomized controlled trial with three feedback conditions (video plus verbal, verbal and experiential). Eight to ten weeks after the final feedback intervention session, a follow-up assessment was conducted. The primary outcome was maintenance of gains in online awareness measured by the number of errors made during a meal preparation task. Group outcomes were compared using an unstructured linear mixed regression model. RESULTS: The video plus verbal feedback group continued to demonstrate significantly greater gains in online awareness compared to the verbal feedback group (mean difference 20.6, 95% CI 8.8 to 32.3) and the experiential feedback group (mean difference 14.4, 95% CI 3.1 to 25.6). There was no significant impact of the interventions on participants' emotional status at the 8 to 10 week follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: A combination of video plus verbal feedback is an effective technique for achieving maintained gains in self-awareness in people with TBI.