McDonald et al.

(2008)

Australia

RCT

PEDro=6

N=39

Population: TBI; Gender: Male=28, Female=11. Treatment Group (n=13): Mean Age=35.5yr; Mean Time Post Injury=4.0yr. Social Group (n=13): Mean Age=34.3yr; Mean Time Post Injury=4.3yr. Waitlist Group (n=13): Mean Age=35.3yr; Mean Time Post Injury=3.5yr.

Intervention: Participants were randomly allocated to waitlist (deferred treatment group; n=13), control (non-therapeutic social group; n=13), or the social skills group (treatment group; n=13). Participants in the skills training group attended 12wk program of group and individual sessions totaling 4 hr/wk. Control group received 4 hr/wk of social activities only for 12wk.

Outcome Measure: Partner Directed Behaviour Scale (PDBS), Personal Conversational Style Scale, Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale, Awareness of Social Inference Test.

1.         The social skills training group made significant improvement on the PDBS compared to the placebo and waitlist group (p<0.004).

2.         Results indicate no effects for the social group relative to the waitlist group.

3.         Changes were not noted for any group when looking at social functioning and social participation post treatment.

4.         Treatment effects were found to be modest at best and limited to direct measures of social behaviour.

Brotherton et al.

(1988)

USA

Case Series

N=4

Population: TBI; Mean Age=23.5yr; Gender: Male=3, Female=1; Mean Time Post Injury=5.75yr.

Intervention: Social skills training program comprised of education, instruction, manipulation, feedback, and reinforcement.

Outcome Measure: Behavioural changes.

1.         Intervention was effective in 3 of 4 patients treated, but not all behaviours were equally amenable to treatment.

2.         Behaviours showing clear training effects also showed good maintenance 1yr after training.