This study examines the effectiveness of psychotherapeutic services via computer-mediated communication (CMC). Its main purpose is to determine if goal-oriented cognitive-behavioral group teletherapy via inter-relay-chat (IRC) can reduce feelings of loneliness among chronically lonely people with physical disabilities.Using a comparison design with pretest, posttest, follow-up, and a waiting-list control, 19 participants formed 7 groups of 2-3 people. Results indicate that participants felt less lonely after intervention. Moreover, participants who completed the intervention felt less lonely at posttest than a similar group that had been placed in a waiting-list control. Furthermore, results indicate that gains were maintained at a 4-month follow-up. The results of this study are discussed, along with its practical implications and future directions for research.

These results confirm IAD's link to treatment adherence, and support the observation that IAD is a common clinical feature of brain injury that should be carefully considered when making prognoses and developing and applying interventions with this population.

The development of assessment methods for estimating and predicting amount of functional impairment among stroke patients is important for planning rehabilitation. This study explored the contribution of speed of information processing and response latency in the assessment of 39 stroke patients. Functional impairment was assessed among these patients using the Functional Independence Measure, administered within 72 hours of admission to a rehabilitation center. The correlations between the scores on this measure and on a computerized measure of speed of information processing, Cognitive Performance Test, were examined. The Functional Independence Measure can be used with an acute stroke population. Scores are correlated with cognitive indicators of functional impairment, and scores discriminate between severity of functional impairment. These results are discussed with regard to their implication in monitoring stroke patients throughout rehabilitation.