Comparing Strategies for Treating Emotion Perception Deficits in Traumatic Brain Injury

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of 2 strategies, errorless learning (EL) and self-instruction training (SIT), for remediating emotion perception deficits in individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI). DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial comparing groups receiving 25 hours (across 10 weeks) of treatment with either EL or SIT with waitlist control. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Eighteen adult outpatient volunteers with severe TBI who were at least 6 months postinjury. MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES: Photograph-based emotion recognition tasks, The Awareness of Social Inferences Test, and questionnaire measures, for example, the Sydney Psychosocial Reintegration Scale. RESULTS: Both treatment groups showed modest improvement in emotion perception ability. Limited evidence suggests that SIT may be a favorable approach for this type of remediation. CONCLUSIONS: Although further research is needed, there are reasons for optimism regarding rehabilitation of emotion perception following TBI.