Empowering preadolescents with ABI through metacognition: preliminary results of a randomized clinical trial

The aim of this randomized clinical trial study was to evaluate the efficacy of an intervention program based on social mediation, cooperative learning and metacognition (Metacognitive Dimension) in preadolescents with acquired brain injury (ABI).

Participants were 29 ABI preadolescents: 14 in the experimental group and 15 in the control group (average age, 10.4 y.o.; average time of lesion, 5.3 years). Evaluations were conducted 3 months after the start of the intervention, using the Evaluation Scale of Elementary School Learning Strategies (ESESLS) to assess metacognitive strategies, Self-Concept Scale for Children (SCSC) and Behavioral Rating Inventory of Executive Functions (BRIEF).

The experimental group had superior outcomes to the control. The results of metacognitive strategies (ESESLS) and self-concept (SCSC) were better in the experimental than in the control group (p< 0.05). BRIEF did not reveal any significant differences between the groups, although we observed better results in the experimental group for 5 sub items of the scale, in the broader index and global executive composite score.

Three months of an intervention based on cooperative learning helped preadolescents with acquired brain injury develop metacognitive strategies and improve self-concept, thereby helping empower the preadolescents in their social relationships.