title: Technology-aided leisure and communication opportunities for two post-coma persons emerged from a minimally conscious state and affected by multiple disabilities.
abstract: This study assessed technology-aided programs for helping two post-coma persons, who had emerged from a minimally conscious state and were affected by multiple disabilities, to (a) engage with leisure stimuli and request caregiver's procedures, (b) send out and listen to text messages for communication with distant partners, and (c) combine leisure engagement and procedure requests with text messaging within the same sessions. The program for leisure engagement and procedure requests relied on the use of a portable computer with commercial software, and a microswitch for the participants' response. The program for text messaging communication involved the use of a portable computer, a GSM modem, a microswitch for the participants' response, and specifically developed software. Results indicated that the participants were successful at each of the three stages of the study, thus providing relevant evidence concerning performance achievements only minimally documented. The implications of the findings in terms of technology and practical opportunities for post-coma persons with multiple disabilities are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari, Italy. giulio.lancioni@uniba.it
authors.forename: Giulio E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Lancioni
authors.forename: Mark F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: O'Reilly
authors.forename: Nirbhay N
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Jeff
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sigafoos
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Buonocunto
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sacco
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Navarro
authors.forename: Crocifissa
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lanzilotti
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Tommaso
authors.forename: Marisa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Megna
authors.forename: Doretta
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Oliva
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000150:complications; D003128:Coma / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003142:Communication; D003143:Communication Devices for People with Disabilities; D003243:Consciousness; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000150:complications; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008297:Male; D018458:Persistent Vegetative State / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D015325:Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex Deficiency Disease / Q000150:complications; D013226:Status Epilepticus / Q000150:complications; D060145:Text Messaging; D055815:Young Adult