Training to improve awareness of disabilities in clients with unilateral neglect

Objective. Awareness of disabilities is known to be a central problem of re habilitation among clients with large right cerebrovascular lesions and uni lateral neglect. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of an int ervention program focused on improving the awareness of disabilities in fou r participants with unilateral neglect. The intervention program developed for this study was based on the assumption that awareness of disabilities i s a prerequisite being able to learn and use compensatory techniques in the performance of activities of daily living (ADL). Method. The study followed a single-case experimental ABA design. The Asses sment of Awareness of Disability was used to measure awareness of disabilit ies; the Assessment of Motor and Process Skills rc,ns wen to measure ADL ab ility and neuropsychological tests were used to assess unilateral neglect a nd sustained attention. The intervention program used meaningful and purpos eful occupation ns therapeutic change agents to improve awareness of disabi lities. Results. Awareness of disabilities and ADL ability, improved in all four pa rticipants; unilateral neglect decreased in three participants'; and sustai ned attention improved in two participants. Conclusion. The preliminary findings indicate that training to improve awar eness of disabilities might improve the ability, to learn the use of compen satory techniques in the performance of ADL in clients with unilateral negl ect. The effects of the intervention strategy item to be evaluated further in future research.