Comparison of online awareness and error behaviour during occupational performance by two individuals with traumatic brain injury and matched controls.

BACKGROUND: Online awareness and error behaviour has largely been studied using computer-based tests or prescribed functional tasks in participants with traumatic brain injury (TBI).

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to compare online awareness and error behaviour of two participants with TBI with two matched controls during tasks of meaning and importance to the participants with TBI, using an occupation-based online awareness assessment.

METHODS: Participants were two males with TBI (aged 22 and 23) and two controls (aged 23 and 27). The participants with TBI identified personally meaningful occupations and performed each task on two consecutive occasions. Performances were video-recorded and assessed by two occupational therapists to measure the frequency of errors, the percent of errors that were self-corrected, and the types of error behaviours observed.

RESULTS: The participants with TBI demonstrated more frequent errors and poorer self-correction of errors compared to controls. Control participants made greater improvements in error frequency and self-correction with practice, and demonstrated a narrower range of error behaviours.

CONCLUSIONS: This study builds upon previous research, by utilising an individualised, occupation-based approach to assess error behaviour and online awareness.