Redefining adjustment after acquired brain injury

Abstract

Background: Adjusting to life changes posed by an acquired brain injury (ABI) can be challenging for both individuals with ABI and their families. The current study explores the experience of adjustment, incorporating similarities and differences in this process as reported by the family members and individuals with ABI.

Method: Thirty-nine participants, recruited from a regional brain injury charity group, took part in semi-structured interviews (20/39 individuals with ABI, 19/39 relatives). Transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis.

Findings: Three main categories of adjustment were developed: adjusted to life after ABI, partially adjusted to life after ABI and not adjusted to life after ABI. However, it is the complexity of experiences within these main categories which uncovers the diversity in individual experience. Of specific interest are adjustment as best case and resigned adjustment responses which indicate a level of burden for the person experiencing these feelings of adjustment.

Conclusions: The categories of grateful acceptance and resigned acceptance were specific to relatives and show the need to look beyond the individual with ABI to identify where support may be required for a family as a whole. On the basis of these findings, we offer an inclusive, family-oriented conceptualization of adjustment to brain-injury.

Keywords: Acquired brain injury; families; interventions; rehabilitation; wellbeing.