An assistive technology program for enabling five adolescents emerging from a minimally conscious state to engage in communication, occupation, and leisure opportunities.

Abstract

Background: Post-coma patients emerging from a minimally conscious state may have extensive motor disabilities and pose serious challenges to medical centers and home settings.

Objectives: To promote academic performance and communication skills of post-coma individuals with traumatic brain injuries emerging from a minimally conscious state through an Assistive Technology setup. To evaluate its effects on the participants' positive participation. To generalize the learning process. To assess the intervention's clinical and social validity.

Method: Study I included five adolescents exposed to an Assistive Technology setup enabling them with targeted adaptive behaviors. Study II involved fifty external raters in a social validation assessment.

Results: Data evidenced an improved performance of all the participants during the intervention, assessed through a concurrent multiple baseline design across participants. Social raters favorably scored the use of the technology.

Conclusion: An Assistive Technology setup may be helpful to enhance the performance and positive participation of adolescents with traumatic brain injuries emerging from a minimally conscious state.