Description): Much of the emphasis of in-patient rehabilitation following traumatic brain injury (TBI) is on the re-establishment of independence in activities of daily living (ADLs) and mobility. Although improvements in these areas are well documented during the rehabilitation process, the efficacy of specific rehabilitation interventions in bringing about increased independence is debated, due to the lack of controlled clinical trials and the confounding effects of spontaneous recovery. Many patients have significant memory impairments during their rehabilitation hospitalization, which may reduce the effectiveness of learning-based rehabilitation services. The investigators propose to design a randomized, controlled trial testing the efficacy of specific therapy services, which are designed around principles of implicit learning -- a form of learning which is preserved in memory disorders -- in increasing independence in ADLs and mobility. The planning grant will involve the project directors and front-line therapy staff of 5 NIDRR-funded brain injury Model Systems, along with consultants on implicit memory, clinical trials design, and statistics. Using a combination of conference calls, e-mail, and in-person meetings, existing collaborators in these 5 sites will develop a specific proposal for a multi-center clinical trial on this topic.
