Cognitive skills - addressing areas of cognitive impairment

Question 1

Automatic processing- Intervention

Answer 1

• Target tasks that have potential for automatic processing

- Simplify tasks and incorporate opportunities for consistent repeated practice

Question 2

Selective attention- Intervention

Answer 2

• Remove irrelevant stimuli
• Enhance and intensify important information
• Use auditory and visual cues
• Address internal distractions such as anxiety and auditory hallucinations

Question 3

Divided attention-Intervention

Answer 3

• If possible, separate tasks so that the individual does not need to divide attention
• Work toward making one or more tasks automatic
• Practice doing two tasks together

Question 4

Vigilance-Intervention

Ability to sustain attention over time

Answer 4

• Incorporate breaks
• Slow down the rates at which information is presented
• Make stimulus easy to detect

Question 5

Memory- Intervention

Answer 5

• Chunk items together
• Create mnemonics
• Ask questions about the information
• Apply information to oneself
• Use memory aids such as calendars, checklists, and alarm clocks

Question 6

Working memory-Intervention

Answer 6

• Simplify tasks

- Provide devices that can substitute or assist in the manipulation of information (calculators, maps)

Question 7

Concept formation/categorization-Intervention

Answer 7

Provide cue sheet with category and exemplars

-Provide real world experiences/practice with concepts or categories

Question 8

Schemas and scripts-Intervention

Answer 8

• Write out the steps of a task (or use pictures)
• Create simple maps that include steps of the task
• Order objects (e.g. clothing for the day) in the sequence in which the task is carried out
• Repeatedly practice the sequence of a task

Question 9

Problem solving-Intervention

Answer 9

• Provide and practice problem solving heuristics

- Prevent or eliminate common problems that occur with specific tasks

Question 10

Decision making-Intervention

Answer 10

• Limit the number of options
• Teach individual about potential biases in decision
• Teach individual to step back and think through important decisions
• Ask others for input when making important decisions