Gross motor activity and attention in three adults with brain injury.
OBJECTIVE
In this single-subject study, we evaluated the short-term effects of gross motor activity on the attention behavior of three adults with brain injury. Additionally, observation data were collected on each subject's performance.


METHODS
The effects of gross motor activity on the subjects' attention behavior was measured by performance on visual letter cancellation tasks. The three subjects with brain injury were a 59-year-old woman, a 52-year-old man, and a 26-year-old woman. Data for each subject were graphed and visually analyzed. Observation data for each subject also were examined.


RESULTS
The results did not indicate meaningful differences in the subjects' performance of letter cancellation tasks after gross motor activity. However, positive changes in scanning and checking behaviors were noted.


CONCLUSIONS
This study did not demonstrate improvement in attention behavior after gross motor activity according to the measures used. However, the study supports that observations can help to identify important factors that may influence treatment outcomes. Further study is needed to determine the nature of the relationship between gross motor activity and attention.
Shimelman
A
A
Department of Occupational Therapy, New York University, New York, USA.
Hinojosa
J
J
D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D009788:Occupational Therapy / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D016896:Treatment Outcome