Affect Recognition: Enhancing Performance of Persons With Acquired Brain Injury (ABI)
Affect Recognition: Enhancing Performance of Persons With Acquired Brain Injury (ABI)
The purpose of this research is to evaluate the effectiveness of three training programs
 designed to teach persons with acquired brain injury (ABI) to recognize emotions. It is
 hypothesized that the training programs will enhance several aspects of emotion recognition
 in persons with ABI. Furthermore, it is expected that these effects will be maintained over
 time, and will positively influence participants' social behavior and integration.
Research has demonstrated that persons with acquired brain injury (ABI) 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 ABI 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 ABI. 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.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  Age between eighteen and sixty-five years old.

 -  At minimum, one year post-injury.

 -  Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) of 12 or less, or stroke with hemi-paresis signifying a
 moderate to severe acquired brain injury.

 -  A TBI that resulted in either a closed or open head injury or a stroke that resulted
 in severe disability

 -  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.