The effect of an enriched environmental language‐accessing programme on the reacquisition of language in a person with traumatic brain injury

Abstract

This case study examined the effects of an enriched environmental language‐accessing programme on an individual with a severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). Using a holistic programme ‐ which involved greetings, singing songs, drawing, painting, word focus, poetry, story retelling, pictorial cards and farewells ‐ the rehabilitation set out to improve the participant's ability to access dormant language. The researcher chose familiar songs, stories and subject areas of interest to the participant.The language programme's daily half‐hour sessions were held for four weeks at a time, with a different theme for each week. Activities were chosen to link into the week's theme. After a two‐week break, the language programme was repeated for consolidation.Data was documented using video, transcription and word‐list collation. These word lists showed which language was accessed without help, with initial prompts and through repetition. Data was analysed by comparing sessions at time one and time two, using the McNemar test for significance of changes for repeated measures. For various sessions the findings showed significant improvements in language production from time one to time two. Compared to the participant's limited language production outside of the programme, the results showed how the participant's speech increased as a result of the rehabilitation.The implications of this case study suggest that a holistic language rehabilitation programme involving an empathetic interlocutor who encourages communication through music, story, familiar topics and art is beneficial to a participant with a severe TBI. Further research repeating the language programme with similar participants would help to generalise these findings.