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Social interaction and speed of information processing following very severe head-injury

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

Hamish P. D. Godfrey ,
Robert G. Knight ,
Nigel V. Marsh ,
Bernadette Moroney  and
Samir N. Bishara
Hamish P. D. Godfrey*
Affiliation:
Departments of Psychology and Neurosurgery, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
Robert G. Knight
Affiliation:
Departments of Psychology and Neurosurgery, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
Nigel V. Marsh
Affiliation:
Departments of Psychology and Neurosurgery, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
Bernadette Moroney
Affiliation:
Departments of Psychology and Neurosurgery, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
Samir N. Bishara
Affiliation:
Departments of Psychology and Neurosurgery, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
*
1Address for correspondence: Dr Hamish P. D. Godfrey, Psychology Department, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, New Zealand. Copies of the behavioural rating scales and tables of correlations may also be obtained from this address.
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Synopsis

Eighteen adults who had suffered a very severe closed head-injury more than 18 months previously and required long-term rehabilitative support were compared with a closely matched control group. Unlike previous studies, which have reported negative personality change involving an increase in aversive behaviour, our behavioural observation data suggest that a global reduction in behavioural productivity, or negative symptomatology, characterizes social interaction by this group. This resulted in their being judged less socially skilled, less likeable and less interesting, and thus less reinforcing to interact with. Speed of information processing was specifically impaired for the closed head-injury group, although this did not correlate with global behavioural ratings of social interaction behaviour. It is suggested that low behavioural productivity may be associated with family burden, and that the low quantity of social interaction experienced by severely head-injured adults may reflect the unreinforcing nature of their interactions.

Type
Research Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 19 , Issue 1 , February 1989 , pp. 175 - 182
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1989

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