Abstract:

Impairment of working memory and attention are frequent sequelae of acquired brain injury experienced by millions of people all over the world. However, there are currently no cost-effective treatments for such impairments. This thesis is an empirical exploration of two candidate cost-effective treatments: computer-based and suggestion-based treatments.

Based on negative findings from a RCT and a comprehensive meta-analysis, it is concluded that computer-based training in general is unsuitable as a means to rehabilitate high-level cognitive functions in patients with acquired brain injury. A pervasive problem in drill-and-practice interventions is to factor out task-specific effects when assessing transfer-effects. I present four methodological criteria which must be fulfilled to claim that a transfer effect was found.

In a third study, we used hypnotic suggestions to target impaired working memory capacity. There was a unique and persistent effect of these targeted hypnotic suggestions as compared to a closely matched hypnotic control condition and very large effects compared to a passive control group. 

I conclude that there is solid evidence that computer-based methods are ineffective and that positive reports were largely driven by methodological inadequacies. In contrast, there is encouraging, though preliminary, evidence that a suggestion-based method was highly effective for improving working memory performance following acquired brain injury.

After the defense (around 16:30) all are invited to a reception just outside the auditorium.

ALL ARE WELCOME