The Effects of Cognitive Rehabilitation on Pragmatic Language in Traumatic Brain Injury: A Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Purpose:This meta-analysis addressed the research question: In adults with traumatic brain injury (TBI), does cognitive rehabilitation improve pragmatic language?Method:Based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, a systematic literature search was conducted to identify empirical studies that met inclusion criteria including (a) adults (18 years and older) with TBI, (b) a cognitive-based intervention, and (c) reported quantitative pragmatic language outcome measures data. A meta-analysis was conducted on pragmatic language outcome measures. Cohen'sdand a 95% confidence interval were used to evaluate the intervention effect.Results:After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria to 640 eligible papers, six studies (N= 76 participants combined across articles) remained. Results showed that cognitive rehabilitation targeting skills used in communication has a large, positive effect (Cohen'sd= 0.89 [0.54,1.24]) on improving pragmatic language abilities in adults with TBI.Conclusions:This meta-analysis provides evidence that cognitive rehabilitative protocols created in collaboration with speech-language pathologists (SLPs) have a significant impact on improving pragmatic language abilities of adults with TBI. This is important for SLPs to consider when determining a treatment approach when working with adults diagnosed with a TBI who have deficits in the area of pragmatic language.