Relationship of Caregiver and Family Functioning to Participation Outcomes After Postacute Rehabilitation for Traumatic Brain Injury: A Multicenter Investigation
Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 05/17/2012
Clinical Article
Sander AM et al. – Caregiver distress should be accounted for in studies investigating the effectiveness of postacute rehabilitation after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Screening of caregivers early during postacute rehabilitation can target those who need assistance to improve their support of the person with TBI.
Methods- Persons with medically documented TBI (N=136; 57% with severe TBI, 12% moderate, 31% mild), primarily men and 69% white.
- Community Integration Questionnaire and Craig Handicap Assessment and Reporting Technique (CHART).
- After accounting for age, education, sex, and race/ethnicity, there was a significant interaction between caregiver emotional functioning and time since injury for CHART Occupation and Social Integration Scale scores.
- Better emotional functioning in caregivers was associated with greater occupation and social integration outcomes for persons who entered the postacute rehabilitation program within 6 months of injury, but not for those >6 months postinjury.
- There was no relationship of family functioning to participation outcomes, and no interaction between family functioning and time since injury.
