Association of goal setting with attention and executive dysfunction in postoperative patients with brain tumors

Abstract

Aim: Patients with brain tumors are susceptible to cognitive dysfunction due to the site of injury, especially residual executive dysfunction. It is important to understand the living conditions of patients with executive dysfunction and to set and prioritize goals. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the presence of age-related executive dysfunction and rehabilitation goals.Methods: This was a retrospective, single-center study. Fifty participants were included in the study. Participants selected their rehabilitation goals using the Aid for Decision-making in Occupation Choice (ADOC). Participants were defined as having a mean age score of 1.0 SD or higher on either A or B of the Trail Making Test, Japanese version (TMT-J). Participants were divided into two groups: no executive dysfunction and executive dysfunction, and the proportion of selected rehabilitation goals was compared by age.Results: A significantly higher proportion of subjects aged 65 years or older with executive dysfunction (p = 0.011) reported Activities of Daily Living (ADL) as their rehabilitation goal. The group with executive dysfunction was significantly less likely to report Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) as a rehabilitation goal (p = 0.027).Conclusions: When executive dysfunction is recognized, there is a tendency to select ADLs as goals, which are essential for the formation of the foundation of life. In addition, older adults with executive dysfunction not only limit IADLs but also tend not to list IADL activities in their rehabilitation goals.