Long-term benefits of the Memory-Link programme in a case of amnesia

Objective: To systematically evaluate the maintenance of clinical gains from a structured memory intervention programme. Efficacy of the programme was initially demonstrated in RR, a woman with moderate-to-severe memory impairment following colloid cyst removal. In the current study (Svoboda and Richards, 2009), we examined RR's day-to-day memory functioning 18 months after completion of the intervention programme. Design: Within-subject A(1)B(1)A(2)B(2)B(3) single-case experimental design. Setting: Outpatient memory rehabilitation clinic. Intervention: A theory-driven training programme in the use of commercially available smartphones for individuals with moderate-to-severe memory impairment. Main measures: A phone call task was used as an objective measure of prospective memory function. Self-report, ecologically valid questionnaires were also completed to further assess generalization of smartphone use to day-to-day memory function. Results: Eighteen months after intervention, RR completed 80% of scheduled calls using the smartphone, a rate significantly higher than at baseline (40%) and comparable to her success rate immediately following intervention (90%) and at the four-month follow-up (90%). Responses to questionnaires indicated that RR felt more confident in her ability to handle memory-demanding situations and was making fewer memory mistakes. This favourable outcome was not found with the use of another smartphone brand for which training was not received. Conclusions: Results from ecologically valid measures of memory functioning demonstrated robust maintenance of independent commercial smartphone use over an 18-month period, with increases observed in independence, confidence and real-life memory functioning. The findings further suggest poor cross-device generalizability.