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Affect Recognition: Enhancing Performance of Persons With Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) - NCT00283153-14215(Clinical Trial 136756)



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City:  Buffalo
State:  
NY
Zip Code: 14215
Conditions: Traumatic Brain Injury
Purpose: The purpose of this research is to evaluate the effectiveness of three training programs designed to teach persons with traumatic brain injury to recognize emotions. It is hypothesized that the training programs will enhance several aspects of emotion recognition in persons with TBI. Furthermore, it is expected that these effects will be maintained over time, and will positively influence participants' social behavior and integration.
Study summary: Research has demonstrated that persons with traumatic brain injury (TBI) often have difficulty recognizing emotions. This includes emotions portrayed in facial expressions, as well as inferring emotions based on social context. The ability to identify emotions in others is an essential component for the engagement of successful social interactions. It has been suggested that a decreased ability to recognize emotions may result in inappropriate behaviors and have a detrimental impact on social relationships. Despite the significance of this problem, very few studies have addressed this need in the TBI population. Comparisons: Three groups receiving computer-based training programs. Two of the groups are trained to learn how to identify emotions of happy, sad, angry and fearful. The third training experience presents participants with a variety of learning tasks from managing money to grocery shopping. 1. Facial Affect Recognition (FAR) group: This group is shown faces on the computer and asked to identify the emotion being expressed. Subjects are also asked to describe situations that they associate with the emotions being trained, as well as mimic facial expressions in a mirror. 2. Stories of Emotional Inference (SEI) group: This group is asked to read stories on the computer that describe the interaction of events with characters' beliefs, wants and behaviors. From this information, subjects are asked to infer the emotions of the characters throughout the stories. 3. Cognitive Training Group (CTG): This group is given educational experiences in a variety of life skill areas including banking and applying for a job. This training is aimed at resolving some of the frustrations experienced by persons with TBI. Subjects may learn various computer skills including, Word, Excel, Internet Search or Games. Before and after training, emotion recognition will be measured with pictures of faces; vocal recordings; stories that give the contextual cues to emotion; and hypothetical situations. In addition, participants' cognitive skills, social behavior and integration will also be assessed.
Criteria: Inclusion Criteria: - Age between eighteen and sixty-five years old. - At minimum, one year post-injury. - Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) of 12 or less, signifying a moderate to severe brain injury. - A TBI that resulted in either a closed or open head injury. - Perform at least one standard deviation below the norm on the DANVA2-Adult Faces test, a standardized assessment of facial affect recognition. - Verbally able to express a basic understanding of emotional descriptors (e.g. Happy, sad, angry, fearful). - Demonstrate basic comprehension for short paragraphs presented in 2 ways: 1)auditorily and 2)silent reading. This measure is part of the Discourse Comprehension Test. Exclusion Criteria: - Diagnosed mental illness. - Uncorrected visual acuity. - Uncorrected hearing impairment. - Perceptual impairment (visual neglect and/or visual discrimination). - Impaired verbal expression/ aphasia - Alcohol or substance abuse.
Study is available at: University at Buffalo
Buffalo, NY 14215
United States

Primary Contact:
Barry Willer, Ph.D.
Email: bswiller@buffalo.edu
Phone: (716) 829-2300
If you are interested in this clinical trial please use the contact information above. If you would like to get additional information about this clinical trial please visit ClinicalTrials.gov.
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Data Source: ClinicalTrials.gov
Date Processed: March 21, 2011
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