Reality orientation training in an XXXX : a controlled single-case study (n = 572 days).

@entity1 @entity303 @entity16 @entity2730 @entity911 @entity3257
'Reality orientation training' (ROT) is a well-established therapy used with the elderly, especially those with @entity303 . It aims to improve orientation and reduce negative behaviours, e.g. @entity911 . ROT has been recommended for @entity3257 @entity1 with acquired @entity16 . However, this suggestion has not been investigated further in controlled trials. This paper describes an informal 24 h ROT programme with an @entity2730 subject (H.J.). It combined single-case experimental designs derived from behaviour therapy. Target behaviours were items of temporal orientation--current time/time of day, year, season, month and day of week. Orientation regarding the current date was not trained, and thus served as control variable for non-specific effects (e.g. spontaneous recovery). In order to improve oriented behaviour in different relevant situations outside the clinic, we chose 24 h ROT instead of formal therapeutic sessions. The @entity1 ' spouse offered 24 h ROT at home 7 days a week. This consisted of reminding the @entity1 of orientation information, e.g. the current day of the week in different situations. Furthermore, negative behaviours such as irrelevant questions were ignored. The @entity1 ' spouse was trained and supervised to carry out this task in 27 sessions each lasting 10 min. For 14 weeks supervision was provided twice a week in the clinic (i.e. 2 x 10 min). Afterwards the spouse continued to apply ROT at home without further supervision in two follow-up periods. As expected, learning was slow but reliable. Generalization of improvement to another setting was shown (home vs clinic). Stable therapeutic gains over a long follow-up period could be demonstrated.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
