Effectiveness of attention training after an acquired-brain injury: A meta-analysis of rehabilitation studies

The current study reviews the attention training literature after an acquired brain injury using mere-analytic procedures. Through computerized searches we identified 30 relevant studies involving a total of 359 patients. Overall performance, measured by d(+), improved significantly after training. Then the set of 30 studies were categorized according to whether the study evaluated training efficacy by comparing pre- and posttraining scores only or included a control as well. Results show that performance improved significantly after training when assessed by the pre-post only measure, but nut in the pre-post with control condition; Further analyses showed that performance in studies providing specific skills training improved significantly, whereas performance in studies providing general attention training did not. The implications of these results Tor rehabilitation are discussed. (C) 2000 Academic Press.