The New Jersey Institute of Technology's
Electronic Theses & Dissertations Project

Title:	Traumatic brain injury : traditional and narrative assessment techniques
Author:	Katzman-Teller, Sharon M.
View Online:	njit-etd2006-007 (xi, 64 pages ~ 3.3 MB pdf)
Department:	Department of Humanities
Degree:	Master of Science
Program:	Professional and Technical Communication
Document Type:	Thesis
Advisory Committee:	Elliot, Norbert (Committee chair) Coppola, Nancy (Committee member) Lynch, Robert Edward (Committee member)
Date:	2006-01
Keywords:	Traumatic brain injury Narrative analysis Narrative discourse Conversational discourse
Availability:	Unrestricted
Abstract:	Traumatic brain injury (TBI) causes impairment of executive functioning, as well as cognitive and language abilities of various degrees. Standard language tests currently focus on very specific language disorders and can not identify language disorders of TBI subjects with high-level language functioning. Although these standard tests can not adequately identify subtle language disorders, these TBI subjects lack cohesiveness in their conversation, which can have a strong effect on socialization. Through the use of narrative analysis, research in narrative and conversational discourse, which incorporates linguistic, cognitive skills, as well as executive functioning and social abilities, seems to be more appropriately address cohesive discourse of highlevel language functioning TBI subjects.