Using Occupation to Facilitate Self-Awareness in People who have Acquired Brain Injury: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Background. Impaired self-awareness in people who have had an acquired brain injury (ABI) is a complex phenomenon that impedes rehabilitation progress and outcome. Purpose. This pilot study investigated the effect of an occupation-based intervention program on the self-awareness and emotional status of people after ABI. Four male adults with impaired self-awareness following ABI participated in this study. Each received a 10-week individualized program that focused on the performance of three occupations for 1 to 2 hours per week. A facilitative approach was taken, using techniques to improve self-awareness described in the literature. Repeated measures of participants' self-awareness and emotional status were taken pre- and post-intervention, and analyzed descriptively. Results. Results indicated preliminary support for the effectiveness of the program in facilitating participants' self-awareness. However, consideration of baseline and follow-up data indicated a complex picture. Increased anxiety was found to accompany improvements in participants' self-awareness in all four cases. Practice Implications. This study will assist occupational therapists with program development for clients who have had an acquired brain injury.