Assessing cognitive communication skills for returning to work following acquired brain injury: a systematic scoping review
Published 16th July 2024
Communication skills are highly valued by workplaces, however after an Acquired Brain Injury even subtle changes to these skills can impact a person’s ability to return to a productive role. This study, published in the Journal Disability and Rehabilitation, addresses the difficulties faced by individuals with cognitive communication impairments following an Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) in returning to and maintaining employment. Led by Kate Cameron, an Acquired Brain Injury Transitional Rehabilitation Speech Pathologist, as part of her Hopkins Centre Fellowship and ongoing PhD studies, the paper provides a comprehensive review of communication assessment tools and approaches for vocational rehabilitation.
The review found that the research literature tends to focus on testing discrete cognitive skills rather than the multifactorial nature of communication as outlined by key clinical models. It also found that, while promising measures are available to clinicians, many of these measures fail to address the complex demands of workplace communication or capture the individual's unique context. The research team emphasise the need for further research and the development of appropriate assessment tools, to be able to better identify strengths and areas for support. This would better equip clinicians to plan, provide intervention and offer recommendations that will support individuals with ABI to achieve their return-to-work goals.
The study was co-authored by Dr. Petrea Cornwell, Dr. Vanette McLennan, Dr. Kerrin Watter, and Nina Wegener. The study is available online now.
Citation
Cameron, K., Cornwell, P., Watter, K., McLennan, V., & Wegener, N. (2024). Assessing cognitive communication skills for returning to work following acquired brain injury: a systematic scoping review. Disability and Rehabilitation, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2024.2356683
Authors
Clinical Community Specialist, Speech Pathologist
Associate Professor, Speech Pathology
Publication Type
Journal Article
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