Self Monitoring

Physical Communication Cognitive Behavioural / Emotional

Self-monitoring involves the process of setting goals, planning, monitoring/reviewing, and adjusting accordingly. Normally this process is automatic, however people with a brain injury may lose these abilities. It may have to become a more conscious and deliberate thought process.

As a result of an acquired brain injury there may be specific difficulties in understanding needs, setting realistic goals, making plans to achieve the goals, initiating relevant goal-directed behaviours, inhibiting distracting behaviours, monitoring performance, evaluating the outcomes in relation to goals, and making strategic adjustments as a result of this monitoring process.

Self-monitoring tends to develop in steps from:

  • minimal understanding of what is easy and what is difficult, to
  • increasing understanding that some activities/functions are easy and some are difficult, to
  • recognition that a mistake has been made after it is made, to
  • anticipating difficult activities and doing something in advance to succeed.

Self-monitoring is therefore closely tied to self-awareness of strengths and weaknesses. If a person with a brain injury is not aware of difficulties in a specific domain of functioning, or actively resist acknowledging such difficulties, they are unlikely to effectively monitor their performance in that domain. It may therefore be necessary to use rehabilitation to develop such awareness or overcome resistance.


"Our 10 year study proves that family-led home-based neuro-rehab interventions deliver the best outcomes for children and young people"
Lucia Braga; Brazil
"NHS clinicians struggle with what intervention to prioritise in paediatric neuro-rehabilitation due to limited clinical time and the complexity of needs. Children, clinicians, parents and schools all have different neuro-rehabilitation priorities"
Recolo; United Kingdom
"We would like to see earlier identification and support for children with brain injuries to help them succeed in school."
Dalton Leong; Chief Executive of the Children's Trust
"We need to harness the power of brain plasticity for treating children and young people with brain injury, especially at the key ages of 0-3 and at ages 10-16"
Professor Bryan Kolb; Canada
"With support parents cope better so the child has a better recovery"
Andrea Palacio-Navarro; Spain
"Parent-supported interventions after paediatric ABI bring reductions to the cost to society"
Eric Hermans; Netherlands
"Rehabilitation interventions can lead to positive outcomes for children and their families if delivered in the familiar home environment and applied to everyday situations"
Cerebra; United Kingdom
"Positive and coordinated neuro-rehab interventions for children and young people is proven to bring health improvements; improve independence; reduces the need for sheltered living; decreases vulnerability; decreases drop-out rates in schools; decreases youth offending"
Eric Hermans; Netherlands
"There are problems with getting people into neuro-rehab. Those most in need are often those most excluded due to a lack of socio-economic resources."
Vicki Anderson; Australia
"When someone has a brain injury, early access to local, specialist rehabilitation is crucial to ensure the maximum recovery and make significant savings to the state in health costs"
Headway; United Kingdom

OUR MISSION: To work to remove inequalities for children & young people affected by acquired brain injury; and provide effective support to their families that makes a real difference.

Council for Disabled Children Community Funded Charity Excellence Lottery Funded Youth Foundation BBC CiN