Two case study evaluations of an arts-based social skills intervention for adolescents with childhood brain disorder.
OBJECTIVE
Arts-based programmes have been shown to be useful for individuals with disturbances in cognitive and behavioural functioning. The current case studies examined the feasibility and effectiveness of a theatre skills training programme to facilitate social skills and participation for adolescents with childhood brain disorder.


METHODS
A case study approach was used with two adolescent participants. Focus groups were conducted immediately post-intervention, while a battery of quantitative measures were administered pre- and post-treatment, as well as 8 months post-treatment.


RESULTS
Perceived and documented improvements in social skills and participation were observed from pre- to post-intervention and at follow-up.


CONCLUSIONS
Results support the use of an arts-based intervention for youth with brain injuries to facilitate social skills and participation. Findings also highlight the need for more sensitive measures of these skills for youth with childhood brain disorder, who may have impaired awareness of their abilities and/or impairments in memory and language comprehension.
Graduate Department of Rehabilitation Science, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. sabrina.agnihotri@utoronto.ca
Sabrina
S
Agnihotri
Julia
J
Gray
Angela
A
Colantonio
Helene
H
Polatajko
Debra
D
Cameron
Catherine
C
Wiseman-Hakes
Peter
P
Rumney
Michelle
M
Keightley
D000293:Adolescent; D001154:Art; D001155:Art Therapy; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008527:Medulloblastoma / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012919:Social Behavior; D016896:Treatment Outcome