Information processing is a cognitive process which includes three components:
- Thinking capacity refers to how much information the person is able to process.
- The speed at which the brain can decode and interpret incoming information (from any and all of the senses) and then plan and execute a response to this information.
- The ability to control, plan and organise thinking processes and to prioritise.
It is our information processing abilities that allow us to decode incoming sensory information, make sense of it and then formulate a response. Information processing is inextricably linked with other cognitive processes of executive functioning, attention, memory, perception and language. Equally, impairments of attention, memory and executive function etc, will add to the person’s difficulty with Information Processing.
Impairments of information processing are common after brain injury and can be subtle and not immediately obvious but, none-the-less, can have a significant impact upon the person’s day-to-day functioning. Even, automatic, routine and familiar activities can become more challenging, requiring additional effort and thought (e.g. dressing, following the story of a T.V. drama). Difficulties can become even more marked as demands on the person increase e.g. situations requiring complex decision making which has to take into account multiple factors will require extra processing control, capacity and speed. Fatigue, distractibility and anxiety can further impair information processing after brain injury. The increased effort required by the brain injured person to process information and formulate responses and action can cause further fatigue in addition to that already experienced by the brain injured person.
Following brain injury, changes to information processing abilities may not be immediately obvious to the brain injured person’s acquaintances, but the person may begin to demonstrate difficulties with tasks and potentially increased confusion when:
- Too many things are required of them at once.
- They are not given the time they need to process information and formulate their response.
- They are expected to be aware of, monitor and respond promptly to rapidly changing situations e.g. when cooking as pans come to the boil, when driving, during social events.
- There is too much happening in their environment for them to take it all in, process it and respond accordingly.
- Too much information is given at once and/or too quickly, their understanding of speech and/or a social situation can breakdown.
- They are in social situations where they are expected to follow conversations where there is more than one other participant. The ability to follow the conversation, keep up and respond is impaired.
The person with impaired information processing may have difficulty carrying out and completing everyday tasks, may appear difficult and uncooperative and even actively attempt to avoid situations or tasks they find difficult to manage.
Changes in information processing can be hard to identify and are often a source of confusion, distress, anxiety and feelings of overwhelm; the person finding it difficult to manage everyday tasks, interact with people and manage a variety of social and 
occupational/educational circumstances. If the person is struggling with impairments of information processing they may become withdrawn and anxious. They may even appear difficult and uncooperative and actively attempt to avoid situations or tasks they find difficult/overwhelming . Occasionally, if everyday demands upon them are perceived as too high, or the person experiences demands as threatening and anxiety provoking, challenging behaviour may occur.
How to Help the Person with Information Processing Impairment