Cognitive reserve as a moderator of responsiveness to an online problem-solving intervention for adolescents with complicated mild-to-severe traumatic brain injury

Christine L. Karver, Shari L. Wade, Amy Cassedy, H. Gerry Taylor, Tanya M. Brown, Michael W. Kirkwood, Terry Stancin

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

15 Scopus citations

Abstract

Children and adolescents with traumatic brain injury (TBI) often experience behavior difficulties that may arise from problem-solving deficits and impaired self-regulation. However, little is known about the relationship of neurocognitive ability to post-TBI behavioral recovery. To address this question, we examined whether verbal intelligence, as estimated by Vocabulary scores from the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence, predicted improvements in behavior and executive functioning following a problem-solving intervention for adolescents with TBI. One hundred and thirty-two adolescents with complicated mild-to-severe TBI were randomly assigned to a six-month Web-based problem-solving intervention (CAPS; n = 65) or to an Internet resource comparison (IRC; n = 67) group. Vocabulary moderated the association between treatment group and improvements in metacognitive abilities. Examination of the mean estimates indicated that for those with lower Vocabulary scores, pre-intervention Metacognition Index scores from the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) did not differ between the groups, but post-intervention scores were significantly lower (more improved) for those in the CAPS group. These findings suggest that low verbal intelligence was associated with greater improvements in executive functioning following the CAPS intervention and that verbal intelligence may have an important role in response to intervention for TBI. Understanding predictors of responsiveness to interventions allows clinicians to tailor treatments to individuals, thus improving efficacy.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)343-357
Number of pages15
JournalChild Neuropsychology
Volume20
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - May 4 2014

Keywords

  • Adolescents
  • Cognitive reserve
  • Problem solving
  • Telehealth
  • Traumatic brain injury

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health
  • Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology
  • Developmental and Educational Psychology

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