Model System:

TBI

Reference Type:

Journal

Accession No.:

J74431

Journal:


Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation

Year, Volume, Issue, Page(s):

, 45, 1, 53-61

Publication Website:

Abstract:

Article describes Project Career, a five-year, federally funded initiative to provide cognitive support technology (CST) training and career preparatory services for undergraduate college students with mild and moderate traumatic brain injuries (TBI). The goal of Project Career is to develop, implement, and test a technology-driven, long-term, and resource-rich individualized support program that merges CST and vocational rehabilitation practices to improve career readiness and employment outcomes. Across the three implementation sites in Massachusetts, Ohio, and West Virginia, Project Career recruits a total of 30 undergraduate students with TBI each year. These students include both civilian and veteran undergraduate students who are enrolled in 2- and 4-year colleges and universities. Specific cognitive supports are delivered using iPads and iPad applications (apps) related to cognitive enhancement, especially in the areas of memory, attention, and organizational skills. Positive psychology interventions such as Best Possible Self, Intensely Positive Experiences, and Asset-based Assessments provide a framework for examining the activities of this multi-site development project. A total of 48 students with TBI have participated in the project during its first 18 months of operation – 14 of whom are military veterans with disabilities who served in the Iraq and/or Afghanistan theaters. Preliminary findings indicate that project participants have an increase in satisfaction with their academic experience, decreased negative affect, less resistance to change, and improved feelings of positive support.

Author(s):


Rumrill, Phillip, Elias, Eileen, Hendricks, Deborah J., Jacobs, Karen, Leopold, Anne, Nardone, Amanda, Sampson, Elaine, Scherer, Marcia, Stauffer, Callista, McMahon, Brian T.

Participating Centers: