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The telephone effect: Overcoming initiation deficits in two settings
Journal article   Peer reviewed

The telephone effect: Overcoming initiation deficits in two settings

Kayci L Vickers, Michael E Keesler, Kelli S Williams, Jeremy Y Charles and Roy H Hamilton
Rehabilitation psychology, v 63(2)
May 2018
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/rep0000173
PMID: 29672075
Featured in Collection :   UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel

Abstract

Brain Injuries - psychology Brain Injuries - rehabilitation Communication Cues Dementia - psychology Dementia - rehabilitation Female Humans Middle Aged Motivation Patient Participation - methods Telephone
Disorders of motivation substantially impair an individual's ability to communicate with their families, therapists, and doctors. One method of overcoming initiation deficits is by utilizing the telephone effect, which is the ability for individuals with severe motivation deficits to communicate more readily when speaking on a telephone. However, little is available in the extant literature on how this effect works or how best to integrate this into patient care. This article aims to provide the first report of a proposed mechanism underlying the telephone effect and the first published procedures for eliciting this effect. This is largely a review article that also contains descriptions of clinical procedures for eliciting the telephone effect with 2 patient populations: acute inpatients following brain injury and dementia residents. A case vignette is also provided. We propose that the telephone effect is the result of an interaction between the patient and environment, and occurs because of Gibson's (1979) law of affordances. The use of this theory provides an explanation of the behaviors often observed when attempting to elicit this effect (i.e., disruption of the effect when using a cellular phone). Moreover, we argue that this can, and does, apply to social interactions as well. The telephone effect is an understudied phenomenon that provides a means of improving care for individuals with disorders of motivation. Future directions include systematic research into the telephone effect and further investigation of the mechanism underlying this effect. (PsycINFO Database Record

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#3 Good Health and Well-Being

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Psychology, Clinical
Rehabilitation
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