Two case studies in the application of errorless learning techniques in memory impaired patients with additional executive deficits

Primary objective: The purpose of the present study was to examine in what extent errorless learning can be applied to amnesic patients with additional executive dysfunction. Research design: Two case studies were used in which two patients with severe closed head-injury were compared according to their different neuropsychological profiles. Methods and procedures: Patients were taught complex semantic information about their therapists and cognitive procedures needed to programme an electronic organizer. Main outcomes and results: Both semantic and procedural results suggest that the errorless method can be very helpful for teaching complex new knowledge to amnesic patients with mild executive impairment, whereas the presence of a dysexecutive syndrome may hamper the success of this form of memory rehabilitation. Conclusions: The present study puts forward that executive deficits should be taken into account when neuropsychologists are planning to use errorless techniques.