What is the study about?
The study looked at what influences the ability to adjust in a positive way to challenges (resilience) among caregivers during the first 6 months of providing care at home to persons with moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI).
What did the study find?
The goal was to find information rehabilitation professionals can use to target ways to help improve resilience among caregivers that can also lead to the improved health of the people with TBI that they care for.
What did the study find?
The study found that meeting the family’s need for emotional support may help caregivers who are adjusting to the impacts of TBI on the family during the first six months post-injury.
Who participated in the study?
The 176 participants in this study were adult primary caregivers for a person with moderate-to-severe TBI who received inpatient rehabilitation at one of six TBI Model Systems sites.
How was the study conducted?
Participants completed surveys over telephone, online, mail, or in-person.
How can people use the results?
This study found that rehabilitation professionals may be able to foster resilience among caregivers by providing individualized emotional support along with resources for engagement with community agencies, peer mentors, and support groups.
Reference
Marwitz JH, Perera RA, Klyce DW, Abbasi K, Bergquist TF, Neumann D, Agtarap SD, Lengenfelder J, Hammond FM, Dreer LE. Caregiver resilience following traumatic brain injury: Findings at six months postinjury. Rehabilitation Psychology. 2023 Aug;68(3):281-288.
Disclaimer
The contents of this quick review were developed under a grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR grant number 90DPKT0009). NIDILRR is a Center within the Administration for Community Living (ACL), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The contents of this quick review do not necessarily represent the policy of NIDILRR, ACL, HHS, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.