Neuropsychological Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Patients With Acquired Brain Injury

Philipps University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Brain Injury

Treatments: Behavioral: Neuropsychological Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT00596765

NeuroPsy_Ex2007

Details and patient eligibility

About

Acquired brain injury can result in impaired everyday functioning as well as psychosocial problems, including depressive symptoms, irritability, or negative self-concept. The purpose of this study is to determine whether a combination of neuropsychological and cognitive behavioral therapy is effective in the treatment of these sequelae.

Full description

Acquired brain injury (ABI) commonly results in persistent cognitive, emotional and motivational problems. About 50% of patients involved develop psychiatric illness, most likely in the first year following ABI, which is associated with reduced psychosocial functioning and less favorable rehabilitation outcome. Treatment of these complex conditions requires a combination of neuropsychological and psychotherapeutic intervention techniques.

This study aims at evaluating a combination of neuropsychological intervention methods, which include developing and using compensation strategies for cognitive impairments (attention, memory and executive functions), and psychotherapeutic intervention focusing on emotion regulation, developing positive self-concepts and adjustment of life-goals. These therapeutic interventions are modularized and patients are assigned to intervention modules according to results of objective neuropsychological testing and interviews.

Enrollment: 62 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 65 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Having suffered an acquired brain injury after the age of 14, such as traumatic brain injury, neoplasm (after surgery), toxic brain damage, or brain damages through inflammatory diseases
• Being at least 3 months post injury
• Being German-speaking
• Agreeing to participate, verified by completion of informed consent

Exclusion criteria

• Suffering from recurrent, degenerative, or progressive neurological diseases (e.g. multiple sclerosis, dementia, Chorea Huntington)
• Current or past psychosis or bipolar disorder
• Current or past diagnosis of substance dependency
• History of mental retardation
• Currently in psychotherapy
• Severe lateralized disorder (e.g. aphasia, neglect)
• Lacking minimum basic skills for attending therapy (e.g. not orientated to person, place, time, and events; unable to sustain attention for an hour-long session; cannot state cognitive strengths and weaknesses; cannot state areas in everyday functioning that are impaired due to the acquired brain injury)

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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62 participants in 2 patient groups

1

Experimental group

Description:

Neuropsychological cognitive behavioral psychotherapy for patients with acquired brain injury consists of 25 weekly 1-hr sessions of individualized outpatient treatment. The therapeutical intervention is modularised, patients are assigned to specific interventional modules according to the results of cognitive testing and interviews. Modules concern on the one hand the treatment of deficits in attention, memory, and executive functions. On the other hand psychosocial adjustment to chronic illness is addressed through modules that concern the development of a positive self-concept, the adjustment of life-goals and coping with negative affect (e.g. depressive symptoms, irritability, guilt).

Treatment:

Behavioral: Neuropsychological Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

2

Other group

Description:

Waiting list: Patients are randomly assigned to one of two existing groups after completion of the first session of various neuropsychological tests and interviews. Patients assigned to the experimental group receive therapy immediately after completing the first session of various neuropsychological tests and interviews. Patients randomized to the waiting list receive the treatment as specified above after waiting for 5 month.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Neuropsychological Cognitive Behavioral Therapy