Replication of a dynamic coaching program for college students with acquired brain injury

For the 2.2 million Americans who sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) each year [1], the process of returning to pre-injury roles and productivity can be a daunting, though feasible task. An estimated 3.2-5.3 million people live with TBI related disabilities [2-4]. Because teenagers and young adults ages 15-19 are some of the most common victims of TBI [5], the challenge overcoming brain damage while being enrolled in post-secondary education is of particular importance. Among these young persons with TBI, there is great variation in cognitive abilities as well as awareness of the impairment [610]. Taking such variations into account, survivors of TBI tend to display some level of learning difficulty, especially in acquiring and recalling new information, as well as the use of necessary learning strategies to do so [6-13]. In a survey given to students with TBI concerning their college experiences, the most commonly reported issues were of academic difficulty as a result of memory deficits. Kennedy and colleagues distributed the survey in two, separate studies [14,15]. The first study included 35 individuals with TBI [14]. Forty-one adults with TBI and 36 controls were included in the second study [15]. An overwhelming 97% of survey participants self-reported the need to review maPurpose: To replicate a dynamic, individualized coaching intervention for two students with acquired brain injury who were transitioning back to college after their injury. Methods: Two individuals with acquired brain injury participated in a two-semester coaching intervention. A case study comparison was used to compare quantitative and qualitative outcomes. Results: Students improved on cognitive standardized test scores, as well as grades. Use of prompted and unprompted metacognitive statements improved for both students. One student increased reported use of strategies, while the second student was inconsistent with strategy use. One student completed the majority of credits attempted, moving toward fulltime status by completion of coaching intervention. The second student dropped about one third of her enrolled credits each semester and withdrew from the university in the semester following the coaching intervention. Conclusions: It is feasible to replicate a dynamic, individualized coaching intervention to foster strategy use and self-regulatory behaviors in students with acquired brain injuries. Given the heterogeneity of acquired brain injuries, outcomes varied substantially between students.