Training Professionals in Delivering Evidence-based Cognitive Rehabilitation

Amy Shapiro-Rosenbaum, Ph.D. FACRM

Many systematic reviews support the effectiveness of cognitive rehabilitation interventions for adults and children with acquired brain injuries. Over the twenty years since the first published review, the field of Cognitive Rehabilitation has gained increased acceptance as being a key component of brain injury rehabilitation. A solid research base set the stage for the development of evidence-based practice recommendations, yet, there remains a lack of standardization in how these guidelines are applied in clinical settings.

The creation of the “Cognitive Rehabilitation Manual: Translating Evidence-Based Recommendations into Practice” and associated American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine (ACRM) live training program represented a landmark effort to provide professional training in evidence-based practice and develop a standard cognitive rehabilitation service delivery model for individuals with brain injury. While an important first step towards systematizing clinical practice, it is now necessary to explore how implementation science concepts and models can be employed to further bridge the gap between research and its practical application in real world settings. Currently, global implementation efforts are being incorporated into the development of an updated cognitive rehabilitation training program, to identify factors that facilitate implementation of knowledge into practice, as well as barriers to implementation at both the individual and organizational level. A highly integrated approach to professional education and training requires ongoing research to guide knowledge translation efforts and establishing best training methods to ensure the effective delivery of evidence-based cognitive rehabilitation across the world.

Author Bio

Amy Rosenbaum, Ph.D., FACRM is Director of the inpatient Traumatic Brain Injury Rehabilitation Program at Park Terrace Care Center. She received her BA in Psychology from the State University of New York at Albany in 1996 and her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Hofstra University in 2001. She has specialized in acquired brain injury rehabilitation for 20 years, focusing on evidence-based clinical practice to maximize functional outcomes in those with complex medical and rehabilitation care needs. She has been involved in numerous educational, research and guideline development projects for cognitive rehabilitation and clinical management of individuals with disorders of consciousness.