title: Individual and group treatment for patients with acquired brain injury in comprehensive rehabilitation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the hypothesis that group rehabilitation is more effective than individual treatments and provides an improvement in clinical outcomes similar to that achieved by individual treatments alone.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two groups of patients were placed in different rehabilitation settings treated using the same rehabilitation approach. One received only individual treatments and the second group received a combination of both individual and group treatments. The independent variables were measured both pre- and post-treatment and compared between the two groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-four patients treated with a comprehensive rehabilitation approach were divided into two groups: (a) individual treatment only and, (b) combined treatments (both individual and group). The outcome scales were LCF (Rancho Los Amigos Level of Cognitive Functioning), DRS (Disability Rating Scale) and FIM™ (Functional Independence Measure).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The whole sample had obtained statistically significant improvements in all of the outcome scales: LCF (χ(2) = 45.26; p < 0.001), DRS (z = -3.92; p < 0.001) and FIM (z = -4.9; p < 0.001). The comparison between groups did not reveal any pre-treatment difference. Analysis of post-treatment, however, showed a greater improvement in the FIM scale for those in combined individual and group treatment (z = -0.2544, p = 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Group rehabilitation integrated with individual treatments is more effective than individual treatments alone in improving independence measured by the FIM™ scale. Both groups had obtained statistically significant clinical improvements, the improvement in the FIM™ scale was significantly better in the combined treatment group.
authors.affiliation: 'E. Medea' Scientific Institute Conegliano-Pieve di Soligo Research Center, Unit for the Rehabilitation of Neuropsychological Disorders , Pieve di Soligo (TV) , Italy.
authors.forename: Alec
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vestri
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Peruch
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marchi
authors.forename: Mara
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Frare
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Guerra
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pizzighello
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Meneghetti
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nutbrown
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martinuzzi
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003071:Cognition; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006694:Holistic Health; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D018579:Patient Selection; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012047:Rehabilitation Centers
keywords: Head injury; neuropsychological; outcome; rehabilitation