The Impact of Different Approaches to Cognitive Remediation on Generalization

This article presents three case studies of individuals with acquired cognitive deficits. For each case, detailed descriptions of cognitive remediation procedures are provided. The cases demonstrate that retraining techniques, compensation strategies, or a combination of both are all effective in producing improvements in the individual's level of daily functioning. These cases also demonstrate that remediation is skill and domain-specific and thus there was no improvement in neuropsychological functioning outside of the domain remediated. The important aspects of remediation are that the treatment be individually tailored, that it be hierarchically organized so that each successive level of treatment is based on intact or remediated functions, and that generalization be built into the treatment protocol.