title: Can an external device create and trigger intention in a patient with a severe brain injury?
abstract: Goal-directed behaviour (GDB), the capacity that allows us to control our environment according to our desires and needs, requires different stages from initial intention to goal achievement. Although GDB is frequently disrupted after acquired brain injury, few studies have addressed the remediation of reduced GDB in patients with severe brain injury. The present study aimed to raise this question in RZ, a patient with severe brain injury who presented a serious reduction in GDB related to difficulties in creating an intention from internal determinants and in selecting an action plan, as well as to memory and attentional impairments. Our objective was to investigate the efficacy of an intervention programme to create and trigger a specific intention in RZ. More specifically, this programme consisted in written prompts, first accompanied by an alarm provided by his mobile phone, but gradually reduced until only the alarm remained, which was implemented in order to improve RZ's attendance at workshop sessions. Results showed that RZ's attendance rate at the workshop sessions increased, indicating that the use of an external device allowed us to create and trigger intention in a patient with severe cognitive impairments.
authors.affiliation: a Cognitive Psychopathology and Neuropsychology Unit , University of Geneva , Geneva , Switzerland.|b Fondation Foyers Valais de Coeur , Sion , Switzerland.|c Service de neuropsychologie et de logopédie, Clinique Romande de Réadaptation, SUVA-Care , Sion , Switzerland.
authors.forename: Victorine
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Zermatten
authors.affiliation: a Cognitive Psychopathology and Neuropsychology Unit , University of Geneva , Geneva , Switzerland.|d Swiss Centre for Affective Sciences , University of Geneva , Geneva , Switzerland.
authors.forename: Lucien
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rochat
authors.affiliation: e Department of Social Psychology and Quantitative Psychology , University of Barcelona , Barcelona , Spain.|f Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona , Barcelona , Spain.
authors.forename: Rumen
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9387-1926
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Manolov
authors.affiliation: a Cognitive Psychopathology and Neuropsychology Unit , University of Geneva , Geneva , Switzerland.|d Swiss Centre for Affective Sciences , University of Geneva , Geneva , Switzerland.|g Cognitive Psychopathology Unit, Psychology Department , University of Liège , Liège , Belgium.
authors.forename: Martial
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Van der Linden
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D006040:Goals; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010775:Photic Stimulation
keywords: Goal-directed behaviour; external device; intention; rehabilitation; single-case experimental design