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

Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age21-60
SponsorVA Office of Research and Development

About this trial

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.

Eligibility criteria

Qualifiers

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.

Disqualifiers

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;

Trial design

Treatments tested in this trial

  • BrainStrong-GSR
  • BrainStrong-OPT

Treatment groups

120 Participants
are divided into 2 treatment groups