ABSTRACT
Behavioral deregulation is manifested in a variety of forms. The potential for aggressive behavior is increased by alcohol intake, and this may be especially true for those clients with temporolimbic epilepsy syndrome. Clients may quickly habituate to the kind of unsophisticated information processing strategies consistent with intoxication as these require much less mental effort. Impaired impulse control, together with a sense of being overwhelmed by the consequences of traumatic brain injury (TBI), may contrast sharply with the easy availability, reinforcement value, and coping functions of alcohol. A primary goal of rehabilitation is to help clients develop a lifestyle incompatible with drinking. The effectiveness of interventions addressing problems of alcohol use among persons with TBI will be enhanced by conducting a preliminary functional analysis of drinking. High-risk situations typically include contexts in which alcohol has become a preferred coping response or reinforcer.
