A programmed training technique that uses reinforcement to facilitate acquisition and retention in brain-damaged patients

Abstract

Hospitalized brain-damaged patients were Ss in a study designed to evaluate the effectiveness of a treatment technique used with contingent reinforcement to facilitate acquisition and retention of environmentally relevant information. Ss were divided into three groups that were equated diagnostically and demographically. Group I received the treatment technique with contingent material and verbal reinforcement. Group II received the treatment technique with only contingent verbal reinforcement, and Group III was a control. Both treatment groups showed significant acquisition of the experimental information, and 1 week after training the two treatment groups showed no significant loss of acquired information. None of the groups showed any significant change in ward behavior during the experiment. It was concluded that the treatment technique used with contingent reinforcement can be used in the retraining of memory in brain-damaged patients.