Affect Recognition: Enhancing Performance of Persons With Acquired Brain Injury (ABI)

• Diagnostic Assessment of Nonverbal Affect-Adult Faces (DANVA2-AF) [ Time Frame: Seven months ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  
• Emotional Inference From Stories Test [ Time Frame: Seven months ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  

• Interpersonal Reactivity Index [ Time Frame: Seven Months ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  
• Neuropsychiatric Inventory [ Time Frame: Seven Months ] [ Designated as safety issue: Yes ]
  

Behavioral: Facial Affect Recognition Training
A series of pictures of faces displaying various emotions are presented one at a time using a computerized training program.Participants are taught to recognize how emotions affect facial features such as the mouth and eyes.Participants are also taught how to recognize their own emotions.
Other: Stories of Emotional Inference
Participants are presented with a series of short stories one at a time. Each story presents various contextual cues regarding the emotions the characters are likely to experience. Participants learn to connect the cues to specific emotions.
Other Name: Cognitive intervention

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.