Perspective training to treat anger problems after brain injury: Two case studies

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychology
• Rehabilitation

Background:

• Individuals with acquired brain injury (ABI) frequently exhibit heightened anger and aggression.
• This anger is often associated with a negative attribution bias, where individuals perceive others' actions as more hostile than intended.
• Impaired perspective-taking abilities may contribute to this bias and subsequent anger responses in people with ABI.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of a "Perspectives Group" intervention on anger and perspective-taking skills in two male participants with ABI.
• To explore observational changes in aggression and emotion regulation following the intervention.

Main Methods:

• A case report methodology was employed, focusing on two males with ABI experiencing severe emotion dysregulation.
• A six-week "Perspectives Group" program was implemented, utilizing hypothetical and real-life scenarios to enhance participants' ability to consider others' viewpoints.
• Qualitative feedback was gathered from participants and their spouses via semi-structured interviews post-intervention.

Main Results:

• Both participants demonstrated a reduction in aggressive behaviors after completing the perspectives training.
• While formal measures of perspective-taking showed minimal change, spouses reported significant behavioral improvements indicating enhanced perspective-taking and decreased aggression.
• Qualitative feedback corroborated the observed decreases in aggression.

Conclusions:

• Preliminary findings suggest that perspectives training may be a viable approach for mitigating anger and aggression in individuals with ABI.
• Further research with larger sample sizes is warranted to validate these findings and explore the efficacy of perspectives training for improving emotion regulation post-brain injury.