Utilizing Art Therapy to Recognize Cognitive-Communication Disabilities in Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury

Title:	Utilizing Art Therapy to Recognize Cognitive-Communication Disabilities in Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury
Author:	Rankin, Wendi Michele
Description:	Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) has been named the signature injury of the war in Iraq. Following injury, cognitive-communication disabilities may go unseen in TBI patients because of good verbal communication. Art therapy utilizes non-verbal communication and therefore may be helpful in recognizing these cognitive disabilities. This study uses a mixed method approach to show that verbal functional communication skills in TBI patients may be high even when cognitive-communication skills are low. Thirty TBI patients on a locked brain injury rehabilitation unit of a full service hospital were interviewed and asked to complete an art intervention. Verbal communication and non-verbal cognitive-communication in TBI patients were examined using a functional communication scale (FCS) and a cognitive-communication art therapy scale (CCATS). The results revealed that TBI patients scored high on the FCS even when they scored low on the CCATS. This study asserts that art therapy can be used to find cognitive-communication disabilities in TBI patients.
Permanent Link:	http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=urs1211417561 http://hdl.handle.net/2374.OX/4233
Date:	2008

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