Source
Department of Speech Sciences and Communication Disorders, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32828, USA. edsyke@earthlink.net
Abstract
OBJECTIVE:
The remarkable persistence of disablement in chronic traumatic brain injury and the dearth of accommodation define the condition as a disorder of adaptation. This construct is extended to explain exceptional recoveries after postacute treatment.
METHOD:
Nine severely injured graduates of holistic cognitive rehabilitation were selected for their exceptional postmorbid academic, vocational, and social accomplishments.
RESULTS:
In interviews, they attributed their successes to continuing reliance on, and ongoing elaboration and modification of, cognitive compensation strategies. Unlike their disabled cohorts, they implement a deliberate procedure for self-corrective self-management that minimizes the functional impact of their permanent deficits.