NeuroRehabilitation 30 (2012) 35–42 35 DOI 10.3233/NRE-2012-0725 IOS Press Neuropsychological rehabilitation and quality of life in patients with cognitive impairments: A meta-analysis study in Spanish-speaking populations Joan Gu` ardia-Olmos a,∗ , Adolfo Jarne Esparcia b , Alfonso Urzua Morales c and Esteve Gudayol Ferr´ e d a University of Barcelona, Faculty of Psychology, Research Institute of Brain, Cognition and Behavior (IR3C), Barcelona, Spain b University of Barcelona, Faculty of Psychology, Barcelona, Spain c Universidad Cat´ olica de Chile of Antofagasta, Faculty of Psychology, Antofagasta, Chile d Universidad Michoacana de San Nicol´ as de Hidalgo de Morelia, Faculty of Psychology, Morelia, Mexico Abstract. Objective: The purpose of this study is to conduct a meta-analysis on the effects of neuropsychological rehabilitation procedures on the quality of life in Spanish-speaking individuals with cognitive deficits. Method: Twenty four studies published during the last ten years were analyzed, and relevant information was extracted from each, including sample size, data analyses, measures, and publication year, among others. These data were then analyzed following the usual procedures for estimation of effect size. Results: The data show a statistical significant value in all variables associated with the characteristics of the intervention (Duration, type of intervention, gender, year of publication and, more important, quality of life and neuropsychological outcomes). Conclusion: QOL can improve in certain conditions with neuropsychological rehabilitation, but this change is not permanent. Keywords: Neuropsychological rehabilitation, meta-analysis, quality of life 1. Introduction Health quality of life (HQOL) is an exclusive con- cept that has been defined and evaluated differently by individual researchers based on their own theoretical conception and measurement of it [6]. Despite this am- biguity, there is consensus on several aspects of HQOL measures such that there is a global, subjective appreci- ation of individuals’ physical, psychological, and emo- tional conditions, among other variables [31]. Specif- ically, some studies define HQOL as an evaluation of how a disability and its treatment affect these condi- * Corresponding author: Joan Gu` ardia-Olmos, Facultat de Psicolo- gia, Universitat de Barcelona, Passeig de la Vall d’hebr´ on, 171, 08035 Barcelona, Spain. Tel.: +34 93 3125090; Fax: +34 93 4021359; E-mail: jguardia@ub.edu. tions by individuals’ ability to carry out activities and play valuable roles in life [7,19]. In this sense, neuro- logical alterations, like all disabilities, affect the quality of life (QOL) of the patients who suffer them [38]. However, with neurological disabilities such as trau- matic brain injury (TBI), the term HQOL is used some- what lightly. This is because many studies claim that patients’ QOL improves after a rehabilitating interven- tion, without QOL actually being measured [38]. More recently, a work by Cicerone and colleagues [11] set forth the idea that in order to evaluate methodological quality in research on TBI rehabilitation, it is advisable to have outcome measures that are consistent with the initial goals of the rehabilitation and that include mea- sures of QOL and subjective well-being. In the years between these studies [11,38], only a few studies have investigated the effect of neuropsychological interven- ISSN 1053-8135/12/$27.50  2012 – IOS Press and the authors. All rights reserved