Clients' view of neuropsychological rehabilitation

Postacute neuropsychological rehabilitation cannot be done successfully without the personal engagement of the brain-injured client. However, systematically collected data referring to clients' satisfaction with rehabilitation programmes are rare. In this study a structured interview was developed to assess various aspects of treatment evaluation by clients. In addition, handicap was judged by primary therapists. An aetiologically mixed sample of 130 mildly to moderately brain-injured clients undergoing a comprehensive neuropsychological rehabilitation programme was investigated. About two-thirds of the sample seemed content with the training programmes whereas a minority (13%) of mostly highly handicapped persons reported being largely discontented. In this respect no differences between cognitive, speech/language, and physical therapies were found. Even though many subjects were satisfied with the programme, a majority of clients desired a substantial amelioration in the future (80%), judged their life quality as reduced in comparison to the time preceding brain injury (77%), reported difficulties in accepting 'deficits' (52%), and were frightened of becoming dependent on others (52%).