Traumatic Brain Injury Case Studies

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Traumatic Brain Injury is the leading cause of death and disability in children and adults from ages 1 to 44. Currently there are at least 5.3 million Americans living with disabilities resulting from traumatic brain injury. Common causes of brain injuries include motor vehicle crashes, sports injuries, or simple falls (Brain Trauma Foundation). An acquired brain injury can bring about a variety of behavioral challenges. Some common problems include disinhibition, poor social awareness, aggression, poor personal hygiene, a lack of initiative and ability to conduct every day activities and difficulties with communication (ABA Ireland). Treatment of brain trauma requires an interdisciplinary team. The clinical staff will often include a nurse, a speech language pathologist, a behavior analyst, a physical therapist, an occupational therapist, and a case manager (Guercio 2002).
Applied behavior analysis facilitates the development of language, social
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The individual suffered from profound memory, reasoning, and insight deficits. Therefore, traditional behavior modification using reinforcement and consequences was unsuccessful. The individual was unable to recall what behavior resulted in reward or consequence and had limited ability to understand the effects of his behavior. The treatment team made changes to the environment by eliminating noise and touch, which had previously served as triggers for problem behaviors. These changes were effective in reducing the problem behaviors. A study preformed by Zencious et al (1989) demonstrated for three patients that changes in antecedents produced behavioral improvements after attempts to alter by consequences proved to be only marginally successful. Understanding antecedents can be an essential factor in the process of changing