Date of Defense

6-19-2013

Date of Graduation

6-2013

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Jessica Frieder

Second Advisor

Mindy Newhouse

Third Advisor

Steven Parks

Abstract

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is most commonly caused by an extreme outside force ~ that can cause temporary or permanent physical, cognitive, and behavioral impairments. The current treatment for those who experience these debilitating effects is usually medication, physical therapy, or psychotherapy. While some of these treatments may help reduce pain, they often leave patients with functioning deficits. One approach that is not commonly used is behavior analysis, in which behavioral interventions are used to decrease or extinguish each problem behavior (e.g., loss of memory, obscene behavior) to improve daily functioning of an individual. This article will demonstrate that behavioral interventions should be used in treatment plans for traumatic brain injuries, through the use of case studies and current research, as well as explain why the traditional medical approach does not produce effective results for these patients. Behavior analysis has been shown to be effective in many patients with traumatic brain injuries and it should be implemented as a common treatment for these patients to give them a more independent, functional lifestyle. Keywords: behavior analysis, traumatic brain injury, rehabilitation

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Powerpoint accompanying.

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Honors Thesis-Restricted

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