title: Attention remediation following traumatic brain injury in childhood and adolescence.
abstract: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) frequently affects both the basic and the superordinate components of attention; deficits vary according to patient age. This study evaluated the efficacy of a specific remediation intervention for attention. Sixty-five TBI patients (aged 6?18 years) with attention deficit were assessed at baseline and at 1-year follow-up: 40 patients received attention-specific neuropsychological training for 6 months, and the control group comprised 25 patients. Cognitive assessment included a Wechsler Intelligence Scale (e.g., A. Orsini, 1993) and the Continuous Performance Test II (CPT II; C. K. Conners, 2000). The Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS; S. Sparrow, D. Balla & D. V. Cicchetti, 1984) was administered to assess the treatment's ecological validity. At baseline, all patients presented with a mild intellectual disability and pathological scores on the CPT II. At follow-up, significant differences were found between the 2 groups on the CPT II and VABS: The clinical group improved more than the control group. Specific remediation training for attention, including a combination of a process-specific approach and metacognitive strategies, significantly improved attention performance. Improvement in attention skills also affected adaptive skills positively.
authors.affiliation: IRCCS E. Medea, La Nostra Famiglia, Lecco, Italy.
authors.forename: Susanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Galbiati
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Recla
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pastore
authors.forename: Mariarosaria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liscio
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bardoni
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Castelli
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Strazzer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001288:Attention; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000209:etiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012073:Remedial Teaching / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies