Assessing and managing unawareness of self

Awareness deficits present challenges to recovery and barriers to the rehabilitation process. This paper provides a clinical framework for assessing and managing awareness deficits. It begins with a review of several theoretical and clinical models of awareness in order to identify important characteristics of awareness disorders. A variety of methods for measuring awareness are reviewed. Questions to guide the assessment process are described along with sources for answering the questions. Considerations for implementing three different intervention approaches are also detailed. These interventions include an Individual Awareness Enhancement Program, Procedural Training and Environmental Support, and Caregiver Training and Education. The associated awareness literature is reviewed. An actual case study illustrating the assessment and intervention approaches is provided at the end of the paper.