title: Smartphone technology: Gentle reminders of everyday tasks for those with prospective memory difficulties post-brain injury.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Prospective memory is a common deficit following brain injury that can reduce an individuals' ability to complete everyday tasks. The smartphone is a device that may compensate for these difficulties using the calendar's prompting function. Reminders can be programmed remotely using email to phone synchronization.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To explore whether smartphone reminders help people complete pre-identified tasks as compared to when reminders are not provided.
  
  
  METHODS
  An ABAB case series design compared reminder present vs. reminder absent phases with regards completion of pre-set tasks. Six participants aged 24-55 with Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) and five caregivers participated in the study. Both completed a series of questionnaires looking at the impact of the smartphone reminders on everyday memory functioning at pre, post and follow-up. A 3-month follow-up questionnaire assessed continued use of the system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant improvement in task completion rates when smartphone reminders were provided. A thematic analysis identified that smartphone reminders improved independence, confidence in coping with memory difficulties and general mood. All participants were still using the system at 3-month follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Smartphone reminders may provide a cost-effective, accessible and non-stigmatizing tool for participants to compensate for prospective memory difficulties.
authors.affiliation: DclinPsy, Psychology Department, University of Hertfordshire , Hatfield , UK .
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ferguson
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Friedland
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Woodberry
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D061212:Memory, Episodic; D008875:Middle Aged; D017010:Reminder Systems / Q000295:instrumentation*; D000068997:Smartphone; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Brain injury; compensation; memory; smartphone; strategies