Efficacy of the resilience and adjustment intervention after traumatic brain injury: A randomized controlled trial

Model System:

TBI

Reference Type:

Journal article

Accession No.:

J79743

Journal:

Brain Injury

Year, Volume, Issue, Page(s):

2018 , 32, 8, 963-971

Publication Website:

Abstract:

Study examined the effectiveness of a psychoeducational and skill-building intervention for individuals after traumatic brain injury (TBI), using a two-arm, parallel, randomized, controlled trial with wait-listed control. One hundred sixty patients with TBI were randomly assigned to the Resilience and Adjustment Intervention (RAI) group or the wait-list control (WLC) group. The RAI targets resilience and adjustment challenges and emphasizes education, skill-building, and psychological support. The manualized treatment was delivered in seven 1-hour sessions. The Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) was the primary outcome measure. Secondary measures included the Mayo Portland Adaptability Inventory-4 (MPAI-4), Brief Symptom Inventory-18 (BSI-18) and 13-Item Stress Test. After adjusting for injury severity, education, and time since injury, the RAI group demonstrated a significantly greater increase in resilience (effect size = 1.03) compared to the WLC group. Participants in the RAI group demonstrated more favorable scores on the MPAI-4 Adjustment and Ability Indices, the BSI-18, and the 13-item Stress Test. However, only the CD-RISC and BSI-18 demonstrated a clinically significant difference. In addition, RAI participants demonstrated maintenance of gains from pre-treatment to 3-month follow-up; however, only the BSI-18 maintained a clinically significant difference. This study provided evidence that a resilience-focused intervention can improve psychological health and adjustment after TBI. Additional research is needed to ascertain the longer-term benefits of the intervention and the efficacy of alternative delivery methods (e.g., via telephone, Internet).

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