Predictive inferencing in adults with right hemisphere brain damage

Predictive inferencing was evaluated in 13 adults with right hemisphere dam age (RHD) and 11 adults without brain damage (NBD). Brief narrative stimuli that strongly suggested a single outcome were constructed to vary recency of mention of inference-related information. Reading times were recorded fo r narrative-Final sentences that disconfirmed the target inferences. Slowed reading time on the final sentences was an indicator of inference generati on. Adults with RHD generated target predictive inferences in contexts with recent mention of strongly biasing inference-related information. This gro up also evidenced maintenance of inferences over time, but to a lesser degr ee than participants in the NBD group. Overall, individuals with better aud itory comprehension or larger estimated working memory capacity tended to m aintain inferences better than did the other participants. The results are discussed in relation to current hypotheses of inferencing and discourse co mprehension in adults with RHD.