Citation

Di Battista A, Godfrey C, Soo C, Catroppa C, Anderson V. J. Rehabil. Med. 2014; 46(10): 975-983.

Affiliation

, Child Neuropsychology, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, 3052 Parkville, Australia. ashley.dibattista@mcri.edu.au.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Foundation for Rehabilitation Information)

DOI

10.2340/16501977-1883

PMID

25188467

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Explore the individual, adolescent phenomeno-logy of quality of life after traumatic brain injury. Subjects/Patients: Adolescent survivors of traumatic brain injury.

METHODS: Qualitative interviews with 10 adolescents, mean age at assessment 17.09 years (SD 1.81). Mean time since injury 4.62 years (SD 2.89). Data were analysed using a primarily interpretative phenomenological analysis approach.

RESULTS: Two major findings: (1) perceived quality of life was not automatically impacted by a traumatic brain injury, but when it was, the directionality of impact (positive, negative) varied depending on the life-domain; (2) changes in ability post-traumatic brain injury were attributed to the injury (more often cognitive and physical changes) or to a sense of normal maturation processes (72% and 28%, respectively). Attribution processing permeated themes of personal and social discrepancies, which also yielded themes of: altered family and relationships, roles, responsibilities, independence, coping and post-traumatic growth. All participants reported a happy life at the time of interview.

CONCLUSION: The adolescents' appraisal of their identity from pre- to post-injury life was related to their current sense of well-being. Most notably was the sense of balance; participants addressed the negative and positive consequences of brain injury to qualify their sense of wellbeing.

Language: en