An integrated biopsychosocial approach to understanding awareness deficits in Alzheimer's disease and brain injury

Authors: Ownsworth, Tamara¹; Clare, Linda²; Morris, Robin³

Source: Neuropsychological Rehabilitation, Volume 16, Number 4, 2006 , pp. 415-438(24)

Publisher: Psychology Press, part of the Taylor & Francis Group

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Abstract:

Considerable emphasis has been placed upon cognitive neuropsychological explanations of awareness disorders in brain injury and Alzheimer's disease (AD), with relatively few models acknowledging the role of psychosocial factors. The present paper explores clinical presentations of unawareness in brain injury and AD, reviews the evidence for the influence of psychosocial factors alongside neuropsychological changes, and considers a number of key issues that theoretical models need to address, before going on to discuss some recently-developed models that offer the potential for developing a comprehensive biopsychosocial account. Building on these developments, we present a framework designed to assist clinicians to identify the specific factors contributing to an individual's presentation of unawareness, and illustrate its application with a case example.

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09602010500505641

Affiliations: 1: Division of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia 2: School of Psychology, University of Wales Bangor, Gwynedd, UK 3: Neuropsychology Unit, Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK

Publication date: 2006-01-01

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