Rehabilitation and Outcome of Right-Hemisphere Stroke Patients: Challenges to Traditional Diagnostic and Treatment Methods

Only within the last 10 years have the importance and contribution of the right hemisphere to the integrity of a patient's functioning become the subject of increased clinical research, debate, and publication. In this study three cases were examined involving right-hemisphere brain injury in terms of vocational, behavioral, and social outcomes following the rehabilitation process. The results of this examination indicate that standard neuropsychological tests and other measures of cognitive and speech and language function tend to underestimate the impact of right-hemisphere syndrome on a patient's judgment and social skills, relationship to the family system, ability to perform functional living activities, and ultimately the ability to return to productive work.