Neuropsychological interventions following traumatic brain injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can result in myriad physical, cognitive, and emotional impairments that disrupt an individual’s capacity to live independently, perform social and occupational roles successfully, and maintain preinjury quality of life.1 For most individuals, resolution of symptoms following a single uncomplicated mild TBI (e.g., headache, fatigue, poor concentration, etc.) generally occurs within hours to weeks, but sequelae of moderate or severe TBI often persist for the remainder of the person’s life. As a result, many individuals with TBI have a relatively high rate of neuropsychological symptoms even several years postinjury, including cognitive dysfunction and emotional distress.2 - 4 A number of rehabilitation interventions have been developed to address cognitive and emotional sequelae of TBI to promote independent living and facilitate community reintegration.5 Broadly, these interventions are aimed at improving the individual’s ability to effectively perform cognitive tasks, cope with psychological distress, and increase self-awareness and self-efficacy.