Hostname: page-component-f554764f5-nwwvg Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-04-13T13:38:36.475Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Who makes good use of memory aids? Results of a survey of people with acquired brain injury

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 August 2003

Jonathan J. Evans ,
Barbara A. Wilson ,
Paul Needham  and
Sue Brentnall
Jonathan J. Evans*
Affiliation:
The Oliver Zangwill Centre, Princess of Wales Hospital, Ely, UK MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, Cambridge, UK
Barbara A. Wilson
Affiliation:
The Oliver Zangwill Centre, Princess of Wales Hospital, Ely, UK MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, Cambridge, UK
Paul Needham
Affiliation:
The Oliver Zangwill Centre, Princess of Wales Hospital, Ely, UK
Sue Brentnall
Affiliation:
The Oliver Zangwill Centre, Princess of Wales Hospital, Ely, UK
*
Reprint requests to: Dr. Jonathan J. Evans, Associate Director of Research and Consultant Clinical Psychologist, The Oliver Zangwill Centre, Princess of Wales Hospital, Lynn Road, Ely, Cambs. CB6 1DN, UK. E-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Wilson and Watson (1996) identified several factors that were associated with use of memory aids and strategies in a group of people with acquired brain injury. The present study tested these findings, with the aim of identifying the variables that best predict effective use of memory aids after brain injury. One-hundred and one people with memory problems arising from brain injury and their carers were interviewed to identify the aids/strategies used to compensate for memory impairment, and the efficacy of their use. Information relating to variables previously found, or hypothesized to predict use of memory aids, was collected. Use of memory aids correlated with level of independence. External aids such as calendars, wall charts, and notebooks were the most commonly used memory aids. Electronic organizers were not used by many participants. The variables that best predicted use of memory aids were (1) current age, (2) time since injury, (3) number of aids used premorbidly, and (4) a measure of attentional functioning. The implications for rehabilitation services are discussed. (JINS, 2003, 9, 925–935.)

Keywords

Brain injuryMemory impairmentMemory aidsRehabilitation
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society , Volume 9 , Issue 6 , September 2003 , pp. 925 - 935
Copyright
Copyright © The International Neuropsychological Society 2003

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

Baddeley, A.D., Emslie, H., & Nimmo-Smith, I. (1992). Speed and capacity of Language Processing Test. Flempton, England: Thames Valley Test Company.Google Scholar
Berg, I.J., Koning-Haanstra, M., & Deelman, B.G. (1991). Long term effects of memory rehabilitation: A controlled study. Neuropsychological Rehabilitation, 1, 91–111.10.1080/09602019108401384CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Burgess, P., Alderman, N., Evans, J.J., Emslie, H., & Wilson, B.A. (1998). The ecological validity of tests of executive function. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 4, 547–558.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Evans, J.J. & Wilson, B.A. (1992). A memory group for individuals with brain injury. Clinical Rehabilitation, 6, 75–81.10.1177/026921559200600110CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Glisky, E.L. (1995). Computers in memory rehabilitation. In Baddeley, A.D., Wilson, B.A., & Watts, F. (Eds.), Handbook of memory disorders. Chichester, New York: Wiley.Google Scholar
Goldberg, (1972). The detection of psychiatric illness by questionnaire. Oxford, England: OUP.Google Scholar
Kapur, N. (1995). Memory-aids in the rehabilitation of memory disordered patients. In Baddeley, A.D., Wilson, B.A., & Watts, F. (Eds.), Handbook of memory disorders. Chichester, New York: Wiley.Google Scholar
McKenna, P. & Warrington, E.K. (1983). The Graded Naming Test. Windsor, England: NFER.Google Scholar
Nelson, H. & Willison, J. (1991). The National Adult Reading Test (2nd ed.) Windsor, England: NFER.Google Scholar
Raven, J.C. (1976). Standard progressive matrices. Oxford, England: Oxford Psychologists' Press.Google Scholar
Robertson, I., Ward, A., Ridgeway, V., & Nimmo-Smith, I. (1994). The Test of Everyday Attention. Flempton, England: Thames Valley Test Company.Google Scholar
Robertson, I.H., Ridgeway, V., Greenfield, E., & Parr, A. (1997). Motor recovery after stroke depends on intact sustained attention: A two-year follow-up. Neuropsychologia, 11, 290–295.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Robertson, I.R. (1999). Setting goals for rehabilitation. Current Opinion in Neurology, 12, 703–708.10.1097/00019052-199912000-00008CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Teasdale, T.W., Christensen, A.L., Willmes, K., Deloche, G., Braga, L., Stachowiak, F., Vendrell, J.M., Castro-Caldas, A., Laaksonen, R.K., & Leclercq, M. (1997). Subjective experience in brain injured patients and their close relatives: A European brain injury questionnaire study. Brain Injury, 11, 543–563.10.1080/026990597123250CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Warrington, E.K. & James, M. (1991). The Visual Object and Space Perception Test. Flempton, England: Thames Valley Test Company.Google Scholar
Wilson, B.A. (1991). Long term prognosis of patients with severe memory disorders. Neuropsycholgical Rehabilitation, 1, 117–134.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wilson, B.A. & Watson, P.C. (1996). A practical framework for understanding compensatory behaviour in people with organic memory impairment. Memory, 4, 465–486.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wilson, B.A., Cockburn, J., & Baddeley, A.D. (1985). The Rivermead Behavioural Memory Test. Flempton, England: Thames Valley Test Company.Google Scholar
Wilson, B.A., Alderman, N., Burgess, P., Emslie, H., & Evans, J.J. (1996). Behavioural assessment of the Dysexecutive Syndrome. Flempton, England: Thames Valley Test Company.Google Scholar
Wilson, B.A., J.C., & Hughes, E. (1997a). Coping with amnesia: The natural history of a compensatory memory system. Neuropsychological Rehabilitation, 7, 43–56.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wilson, B.A., Evans, J.J., Emslie, H., & Malinek, V. (1997b). NeuroPage: Evaluation of a new memory-aid. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, 63, 113–115.10.1136/jnnp.63.1.113CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wilson, B.A., Emslie, H., Quirk, K., & Evans, J.J. (2001). Is Neuropage effective in reducing everyday memory and planning problems? A randomised control crossover study. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, 70, 477–482.10.1136/jnnp.70.4.477CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wright, P., Rogers, N., Hall, C., Wilson, B.A., Evans, J.J., Emslie, H., & Bartram, C. (2001). Comparison of pocket-computer memory aids for people with brain injury. Brain Injury, 15, 787–800.10.1080/02699050110045161CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed