Development and validation of an internet based treatment program for impairments in social cognition and competence following acquired brain injury

Project No. FF-FR 0296

Status:

ongoing

Aims:

Confirmation of the efficacy of the internet-based therapy programme that will be developed within this project for the treatment of impaired social cognition. It is hypothesized that specific improvements will be achieved in comparison with pure cognitive treatment programmes in the domains of emotion recognition, cognitive and emotional perspective taking as well as social problem solving.

Activities/Methods:

Analysis of pilot study:

Data resulting from the pilot study (germanwide survey assessing the need for internet-based treatment) will be analyzed. Conclusions for potential need to adapt A2 and A3 will be drawn.

Development of an internet-based treatment for the therapy of social cognition deficits:

  • Emotion recognition
    • Development of psychoeducation part (PowerPoint slides, audio- and video files)
    • Development of practical training part (development of stimulus material for emotion recognition in emotional faces and bodies, dynamic and static)
  • Perspective taking
    • Development of psychoeducation part (PowerPoint slides, elements from the MCT)
    • Development of practical training part (Development of videos: 60 social interaction situations, 30 positive, 30 negative, mental state assessment)
  • Social Problem Solving
    • Development of psychoeducation part (PowerPoint slides, adapted social problem solving training)
    • Development of practical training part (use of videos developed in A2 to train social problem solving)
    • Programming (external company)
    • Pilot phase (3 months for evaluation purposes)

Assessment of treatment effects (randomized controlled trial):

  • Assessment of treatment effects during therapy
  • Patient recruitment/ pre/post diagnostic assessment
  • 16 weeks of treatment (5 days per week, 30-60 minutes)
  • Experimental group (administration of newly developed treatment for the therapy of deficits in social cognition): 30 patients with traumatic brain injury
  • Control group (standardized computerized treatment of deficits in attention, executive functioning and memory): 30 patients with traumatic brain injury
  • Analysis of pre/post treatment effects on social cognition across groups

Last Update:

17 Dec 2020

Project

Financed by:
  • Deutsche Gesetzliche Unfallversicherung e. V. (DGUV)
Research institution(s):
  • Ruhr Universität Bochum
Branche(s):

-cross sectoral-

Type of hazard:

-various

Catchwords:

rehabilitation

Description, key words:

social competence, brain injury