Behavior analysis and intervention during hospitalization for brain trauma rehabilitation

Continued problematic behavior in children and adolescents after brain trauma is a major barrier to medical care, rehabilitation, and eventual independent living. The present study demonstrates the application of already well-developed behavior analysis techniques to the early posttrauma expression of behavior problems during hospital recovery. To satisfy concerns regarding both cost and individualized treatment, interventions were carried out primarily by regular hospital staff (nurses and therapists), medical record data were used to document gains, and time series, within subject designs were used to show experimental control. Four patients (three male and one female) ranging in age from 10 to 16 years, received intervention based on behavior analysis techniques, which reduced disruption and increased cooperation with therapy and medical care. Behavior analysis techniques will be relevant to future rehabilitation research to the extent that the posttrauma patient's behavior is effected by environmental consequences as demonstrated here.