This study examines whether pareidolia, the experience of seeing meaningful images or patterns in ambiguous visual stimuli (such as faces in clouds), can improve motivation and engagement during rehabilitation therapy for adults with mild to moderate traumatic brain injury (TBI). Approximately 50 participants receiving inpatient rehabilitation at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab will be randomly assigned to either a pareidolia intervention group, which will participate in a guided scavenger hunt using nature images containing hidden pareidolic patterns, or a control group that will view similar nature images without searching for hidden shapes. Over a 3-week period, participants will complete 4 to 6 intervention sessions along with pre- and post-study assessments measuring motivation, therapy engagement, mood, anxiety, apathy, and, in some cases, eye-movement patterns. The study involves minimal risk, primarily mild fatigue or frustration during activities, and while participants may not directly benefit, the findings may help identify a simple, low-risk approach to enhancing participation and engagement in rehabilitation therapy for individuals recovering from TBI.
