scholarly journals He Looks Normal But … Challenges of Family Caregivers of Veterans Diagnosed with a Traumatic Brain Injury

2014 ◽  
Vol 40 (5) ◽  
pp. 277-285 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen L. Saban ◽  
Nancy S. Hogan ◽  
Timothy P. Hogan ◽  
Theresa Louise-Bender Pape
Keyword(s):  
Traumatic Brain Injury ◽  
Brain Injury ◽  
Family Caregivers

Predictors of Emotional Distress in Family Caregivers of Persons with Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Review

2013 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 113-129 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angelle M. Sander ◽  
Kacey Little Maestas ◽  
Allison N. Clark ◽  
Whitney N. Havins
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Traumatic Brain Injury ◽  
Brain Injury ◽  
Family Caregivers ◽  
Emotional Distress ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Class Iii ◽  
Class B ◽  
Assessment And Treatment ◽  
Severe Tbi

The purpose of the current paper was to conduct a systematic review of the literature on predictors of emotional distress in caregivers of persons with traumatic brain injury (TBI), and to provide evidence-based classification for prognostic variables to guide future research and clinical practice. A search was conducted using PubMed, CINAHL and PsycINFO databases. The citations of resulting articles were also reviewed. Twenty-eight articles met inclusion criteria and were retained for review. Reviews were conducted in accordance with the 2011 edition of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Guidelines for classifying evidence for prognostic studies. Data abstraction revealed one Class I study, four Class II studies, eight Class III studies, and 15 Class IV studies. Results of the review indicated that caregivers’ report of neurobehavioural problems in the person with injury is a probable predictor of emotional distress for caregivers of persons with complicated mild, moderate or severe TBI (Class B evidence). The level of participation in the person with injury, level of support needed by the person with injury, and family systems functioning are probably predictors of emotional distress for caregivers of persons with severe TBI (Class B evidence). Executive functioning impairment in the person with injury, pre-injury emotional distress in caregivers, caregiver age, caregivers’ use of emotion-focused coping, and social support may possibly be risk factors for caregivers’ emotional distress (Class C evidence). Recommendations for future research and implications for assessment and treatment of family caregivers are discussed.

Understanding Traumatic Brain Injury From a Gestalt Approach

2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 252-267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles Edmund Degeneffe
Keyword(s):  
Traumatic Brain Injury ◽  
Brain Injury ◽  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Family Caregivers ◽  
Service System ◽  
Gestalt Therapy ◽  
Rehabilitation Counselors ◽  
Self Awareness ◽  
Unfinished Business ◽  
Rehabilitation Counselor

This article proposes ways in which the theories, philosophies, and techniques of Gestalt therapy can assist rehabilitation counselors to better understand traumatic brain injury (TBI). The article describes the central tenets of Gestalt therapy and its unique fit to TBI. Discussion focuses on how an appreciation of Gestalt therapy can assist rehabilitation counselors to understand and address the psychological, familial, and service system implications of TBI. A conceptual framework is presented on the pathways of maladjustment and adjustment to living with TBI from a Gestalt perspective. A central assumption of this model is that without intervention, the onset of TBI activates a process of maladjustment for many persons with TBI and their family caregivers expressed by fragmentation, unfinished business, and lack of self-awareness. The model underscores the importance of rehabilitation counselor attention on both individual and contextual levels.

The Relationship Between Coping and Psychological Adjustment in Family Caregivers of Individuals With Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Review

2015 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 219-247 ◽  
Author(s):  
Malcolm I. Anderson ◽  
Grahame K. Simpson ◽  
Maysaa Daher ◽  
Lucinda Matheson
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Traumatic Brain Injury ◽  
Brain Injury ◽  
Family Caregivers ◽  
Psychological Adjustment ◽  
Class Iii ◽  
Ways Of Coping Questionnaire ◽  
Class 1 ◽  
American Academy Of Neurology ◽  
Class Iv

A systematic review was conducted to evaluate the association between coping (as measured by the Ways of Coping Questionnaire [WOCQ]) and psychological adjustment in caregivers of individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI). A search conducted using the CINAHL, Medline, and PsycINFO databases yielded 201 citations between 1974 and 2014. A total of seven articles met the inclusion criteria; namely, the respondents who completed the WOCQ were family caregivers of individuals with TBI (including 66-item, 42-item, or 21-item versions). Reviews were conducted in accordance with the American Academy of Neurology guidelines (2011) for classifying evidence. The results found no Class 1 or Class II studies but only four Class III and three Class IV studies. The major finding across the better-rated Class III studies was that the use of emotion-focused coping and problem-focused coping was possibly associated with psychological adjustment in caregivers. The Class IV studies were determined to be inadequate or conflicting in determining the association between coping and psychological adjustment. Future studies need to employ carefully crafted designs, adhere to statistical procedure, apply advanced analytic techniques, and employ explicit models of coping, which will increase the accuracy and generalizability of the findings.

scholarly journals Linked Lives: The Experiences of Family Caregivers During the Transition from Hospital to Home Following Traumatic Brain Injury

2012 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 108-122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily Nalder ◽  
Jennifer Fleming ◽  
Petrea Cornwell ◽  
Michele Foster
Keyword(s):  
Traumatic Brain Injury ◽  
Brain Injury ◽  
Family Caregivers ◽  
Adult Child ◽  
Community Reentry ◽  
Linked Lives ◽  
Framework Approach ◽  
Hospital To Home ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Meaningful Relationships

The transition from hospital to home following traumatic brain injury (TBI) has been identified as the point where responsibility for care shifts from rehabilitation services to informal family caregivers. There has, however, been little research examining the experiences of family members during this important transition that involves adopting or, in some cases, resuming a caring role (e.g., a parent caring for an adult child). The aim of this qualitative investigation was to understand the experiences of family caregivers during the transition from hospital to home, defined as the first six months postdischarge. The sample included 10 family caregivers, of which all were female and either a mother, spouse or ex-partner of an individual with TBI. Semistructured interviews were conducted on average nine months following community reentry and data were analysed thematically using a framework approach. The overarching theme was that caregivers wished to move past the injury. This desire to move forward stemmed from a realisation of how their life had changed and the weight of the care responsibility. Caregivers were also aware of how the life of the individual with a TBI had changed and hoped for a return to normality (by regaining independence, engaging in meaningful occupation and having meaningful relationships). Implications of the findings for research and clinical practice are discussed. There is a need for services to support family caregivers during the transition from hospital to home.

scholarly journals Initial experiences of family caregivers of survivors of a traumatic brain injury

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mandi Broodryk ◽  
Chrisma Pretorius
Keyword(s):  
Traumatic Brain Injury ◽  
Brain Injury ◽  
Family Caregivers ◽  
Healthcare System ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Subjective Experiences ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Negative Experiences ◽  
Need For Support

Background: There seems to be a paucity of research on the initial subjective experiences of family caregivers of survivors of a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Objective: To explore the challenges that family caregivers face during the initial stages of recovery of a relative who has sustained a TBI. Methods: Thematic analysis was used to explore the findings from semi-structured interviews that were conducted with 12 female family caregivers of relatives who had sustained a TBI. Results: Family caregivers recalled their initial experiences of the shock at hearing the news about their relative’s TBI, negative experiences in hospital and frustrating interactions with healthcare professionals as particularly challenging. Conclusion: The findings of this study emphasise caregivers’ need for support, information and psycho-education, especially from healthcare professionals, from the very beginning stages of recovery from a TBI. Practical and physical needs with regard to admission to and care in the hospital were also highlighted. This research will hopefully contribute to creating awareness amongst healthcare professionals on how they can contribute to improvement of the services provided by the healthcare system based on the experiences of the caregivers who participated in this study.

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