Strengthening Neuro-Cognitive Skills for Success in School, Work and Beyond

Description

For many Veterans, success in achieving goals at work, school and in other aspects of life are top priorities. The abilities to regulate attention, remember key information, and stay calm and on track are fundamental to this success. Unfortunately, Veterans who have experienced a traumatic brain injury (TBI) often struggle with these very abilities, and a number of barriers can make it difficult for them to access the help Veterans need. Tele-rehabilitation has the potential to overcome some of these barriers and increase access to care, enabling providers to better reach Veterans 'where they are' in their communities. This project will assess two different approaches to brain injury rehabilitation that seek to help Veterans build personal strengths to better accomplish their goals. Both approaches will be delivered remotely via tele-rehabilitation and augmented by digital apps to best support Veterans' learning in community settings outside the VA.

Conditions

TBI, Cognitive Dysfunction

Study Overview

Study Details

Study overview

For many Veterans, success in achieving goals at work, school and in other aspects of life are top priorities. The abilities to regulate attention, remember key information, and stay calm and on track are fundamental to this success. Unfortunately, Veterans who have experienced a traumatic brain injury (TBI) often struggle with these very abilities, and a number of barriers can make it difficult for them to access the help Veterans need. Tele-rehabilitation has the potential to overcome some of these barriers and increase access to care, enabling providers to better reach Veterans 'where they are' in their communities. This project will assess two different approaches to brain injury rehabilitation that seek to help Veterans build personal strengths to better accomplish their goals. Both approaches will be delivered remotely via tele-rehabilitation and augmented by digital apps to best support Veterans' learning in community settings outside the VA.

Strengthening Neuro-Cognitive Skills for Success in School, Work and Beyond

Strengthening Neuro-Cognitive Skills for Success in School, Work and Beyond

Condition
TBI
Intervention / Treatment

-

Contacts and Locations

Sacramento

VA Northern California Health Care System, Mather, CA, Sacramento, California, United States, 95655-4200

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

For general information about clinical research, read Learn About Studies.

Eligibility Criteria

  • * Post 9/11 Veterans
  • * age 21-60; with history of mild-moderate TBI (including reported mechanism of head injury and alteration of consciousness);
  • * in the chronic, stable phase of recovery (\>6 months from injury); with at least 1 self-reported cognitive symptom, --including difficulties with working memory; and interested in goal-setting and intensive training.
  • * Severely apathetic/abulic, aphasic, or other reasons for being unable or unwilling to participate in training;
  • * severe cognitive dysfunction (below 2 standard deviations on two composite cognitive domains);
  • * schizophrenia;
  • * bipolar disorder;
  • * history of other neurological disorders;
  • * current medical illnesses that may alter mental status or disrupt participation in the study;
  • * active psychotropic medication changes;
  • * symptom magnification or malingering.

Ages Eligible for Study

21 Years to 60 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Collaborators and Investigators

VA Office of Research and Development,

Anthony J. W. Chen, MD MA, PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR, VA Northern California Health Care System, Mather, CA

Study Record Dates

2025-10-31