Relationship between Constructional Praxis and Dressing in the Head-Injured Adult

The purpose of this study was to explore the potential relationship between dressing ability and constructional praxis performance in a head-injured population. Thirty-seven patients with severe head injuries were rated on dressing ability and constructional praxis tasks in a rehabilitation setting. Three constructional praxis measures were taken: graphic, two-dimensional, and three-dimensional abilities. A significant relationship was found between mean dressing ability scores and all three constructional praxis scores. These findings suggest that a portion of inability to dress is perceptual, not motor, in origin in individuals with severe head-injuries, and that constructional praxis re-training has functional significance for the patient. No relationship was found between presence or absence of Computerized Axial Tomography (CAT scan) abnormality and dressing or constructional praxis disability.