Video-based administration of the La Trobe Communication Questionnaire for adults with traumatic brain injury and their communication partners

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: To explore the use of direct video-based review for administration of the LaTrobe Communication Questionnaire (LCQ), and explore use of the LCQ as a tool for identifying and prioritizing targets for partner-based intervention. RESEARCH DESIGN: Between-groups design comparing self- vs partner ratings of social communication behaviours in conversation and qualitative analysis of response patterns and participant feedback. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Eight adults with moderate-to-severe TBI and their partners engaged in 20-minute videotaped conversations, elicited using a topic-starter task. Each participant with TBI and his or her partner then completed the LCQ while viewing the dyad's videotaped conversation. Self- and partner ratings of the person with TBI were compared to each other and to published LCQ data. MAIN OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: Based on direct review of their videotaped conversations, six of eight individuals with TBI rated themselves as having more frequent problem behaviours than did their partners. Overall agreement between individuals with TBI and their partners was 0.70. CONCLUSIONS: The present study suggests that direct review of videotaped conversations might avoid some of the limitations associated with recall of previous events, which can be biased toward negative events and confounded by memory impairments in individuals with TBI. Participants stated that the video segment reflected their typical interactions and, thus, behaviours observed in this context could serve as a starting point for intervention planning.