Project-Based Intervention for Brain Injury

This online course plans to examine the role of project-based intervention in improving communication skills and quality of life for people with brain injury.

Over 4-6 weeks you will review the literature in detail and describe a programme that was part of a published feasibility trial. The essential elements will be described in detail (e.g. group, goal setting, tangible end-product, communication partner involvement). Goal setting will be discussed with examples of how to use Goal Attainment Scaling as an outcome to set social communication goals.  We will also examine how the intervention can be delivered both in-person and via telehealth.

Who is it for?

Focus on social communication disorders following brain injury. However, the intervention has application to a range of rehabilitation professionals including Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Clinical Psychologists, Neuropsychologists and therapy assistants. Anyone involved in wanting to engage people with brain injury in meaningful activities would benefit from attending the course.

Benefits

Attendees will develop a greater understanding of this intervention and how to apply it clinically to their own clients with brain injury.

By the end of the course you will be able to:

• Understand the relevant literature and essential elements of delivering project-based intervention for people with brain injury.
• To design a project for your patients/clients that could be used to improve communication skills in people with brain injury.
• Identify treatment outcomes that can be used to measure whether project-based intervention has been effective.
• Be able to set social communication goals with people with brain injury and identify strategies to achieve those goals.
• Learn how to deliver project-based intervention via telehealth

Teaching

This course will be run entirely online. Each week you will be able to log in and watch pre-recorded materials (e.g. PowerPoint, videos) and access a range of resources (e.g. intervention manual, journal papers, textbooks) to help develop your understanding and knowledge of project-based intervention. Online Q&A Forums will be available for attendees to communicate with one another and the course lead. At the end of the course, you will have a live group session (depending on your country time zone) with the course lead to discuss plans for a project you are thinking about setting up with your clients.

Assessment

No formal assessment however, you will be asked to complete a pre- and post-questionnaire and will receive a certificate of attendance upon completion of the course. You will also be asked to complete a questionnaire 3-6 months after the end of the course.

For people who need to claim course hours, the CPD hours you could claim is 15 hours.

This course is applicable to any rehabilitation professional or assistant working with people who have had a brain injury. However, the course may also be relevant to other clinical populations including, dementia (although this will not be directly discussed).

English requirements

For those students whose first language is not English the following qualification is also required:

• IELTS: 7.0

The course lead will also suggest further reading materials.

Behn, N., Marshall, J., Togher, L., & Cruice, M (2019) Feasibility and initial efficacy of project‐based treatment for people with ABI.International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders, 54 (3), 465-478.

Feeney TJ, Capo M. Making meaning: The use of project-based supports for individuals with brain injury. Journal of Behavioral and Neuroscience Research. 2010;8(1):70-80.

Grant M, Ponsford J. Goal attainment scaling in brain injury rehabilitation: Strengths, limitations and recommendations for future applications. Neuropsychological Rehabilitation. 2014 Oct;24(5):661-77.

Togher L, Wiseman-Hakes C, Douglas J, Stergiou-Kita M, Ponsford J, Teasell R, Bayley M, Turkstra LS, Panel IE. INCOG recommendations for management of cognition following traumatic brain injury, part IV: Cognitive communication. Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation. 2014 Jul-Aug;29(4):353-68.