The Efficacy of Cognitive Rehabilitation Therapy: A Meta-Analytic Review of Traumatic Brain Injury and Stroke Cognitive Language Rehabilitation Literature

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) and stroke are leading contributors to health impairments and decrements to quality of life. This meta-analysis evaluated 10 studies of cognitive language rehabilitation and recovery among patients who endured a traumatic brain injury (TBI) or stroke. Results indicated a significant effect size in the control conditions (r = .27 p < .05) in which patients received no cognitive language rehabilitation therapy, suggesting that considerable language improvement occurs spontaneously over time. A significant effect size was also present in the intervention conditions (r = .4, p < .05) in which patients received cognitive language rehabilitation therapy. There was a significant difference between these two effects sizes, which suggests that cognitive language rehabilitation therapies are effective therapeutic interventions above and beyond what can be contributed solely to the passage of time.