title: Treating reading comprehension deficits in sub-acute brain injury rehabilitation: Identifying clinical practice and management.
abstract: There is limited evidence for cognitive-communication reading comprehension (CCRC) interventions for adults following acquired brain injury (ABI), particularly during sub-acute rehabilitation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical practice of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) with CCRC deficits during sub-acute ABI rehabilitation and compare it to the best available evidence. An electronic survey was used to gather information from clinicians across Australia regarding clinical practice in the areas of assessment, intervention, treatment hierarchies and service delivery; survey questions were developed from an extensive review of the literature and expert clinician opinion. Survey findings were then compared with the literature in the form of a systematic review. Surveyed clinicians provided multiple interventions for CCRC rehabilitation, including impairment based (94.7%), activity based (94.7%) and reading strategy interventions (100.0%). Five strategies were used by >94% of SLPs (highlighting, identifying main points/wh- questioning, re-reading, summarising, reducing visual load). When compared with the literature, strong similarities were found for strategy-based interventions and individual service delivery, with broad similarities for functional and impairment-based interventions, and impairment based treatment hierarchies. Strong differences in assessment were identified. Strategy use reported in clinical practice (100.0% SLPs) was higher than in the literature. Further investigation into the effectiveness of specific reading strategies for people with ABI is warranted.
authors.affiliation: Speech Pathology Department, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Metro South Health, Ipswich Road, Woolloongabba, 4102 Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; Speech Pathology, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, 4072 Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Electronic address: Kerrin.Watter@health.qld.gov.au.
authors.forename: Kerrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Watter
authors.affiliation: Speech Pathology, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, 4072 Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Electronic address: a.ocallaghan2@uq.edu.au.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Copley
authors.affiliation: Speech Pathology Department, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Metro South Health, Ipswich Road, Woolloongabba, 4102 Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; Speech Pathology, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, 4072 Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; Centre for Function and Health Research, Metro South Health, Brisbane, Australia. Electronic address: e.finch@uq.edu.au.
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Finch
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003147:Communication Disorders; D032882:Comprehension / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D011932:Reading; D013066:Speech-Language Pathology / Q000379:methods*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Acquired brain injury; Cognitive communication disorder; Reading comprehension; Speech-language pathology; Sub-acute rehabilitation