An assistive-technology intervention for verbose speech after traumatic brain injury: a single case study.
OBJECTIVE
To assess an assistive-technology intervention for neurobehavioral change, coordinated with a Web-based data recording system.


METHODS
Male, mid-thirties, with a complex history, having verbose speech subsequent to traumatic brain injury.


METHODS
BAB' single-case. INTERVENTION AND MEASURES: The intervention (B and B' trials) was a digital recording of the participant's voice, stating "be brief," delivered at fixed intervals by a personal digital assistant. Utterance start and stop times were monitored with a wireless, Web-enabled device and were recorded in a server-side database.


RESULTS
Utterance frequency did not change. However, the total utterance time was reduced during B trials, attributable to the reduced frequency of lengthier utterances.


CONCLUSIONS
The target behavior was modified successfully. The participant adopted a specific cue-appropriate strategy. Since a variety of alternative response strategies may be required of a person, given a range of context-specific social practices and community settings, the importance of context-sensitive assistive technology cue repertoires is discussed.
Kirsch
Ned L
NL
Division of Rehabilitation Psychology and Neuropsychology, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Michigan Health Systems, MedRehab Building, 355 Briarwood Circle, Ann Arbor, MI 48108, USA. nlkirsch@umich.edu
Shenton
Michelle
M
Spirl
Erin
E
Simpson
Rich
R
Lopresti
Edmund
E
Schreckenghost
Debra
D
D000328:Adult; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D034201:Computers, Handheld; D003463:Cues; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D014705:Verbal Behavior