title: Severe traumatic brain injury: some effects on family caregivers.
abstract: This study assesses the effects of severe traumatic brain injuries on family members and functioning-a topic of interest for those working with survivors and their families. This issue is receiving increased attention as recent findings suggest that family adjustment influences outcome for brain-injured persons. The Family Environment Scale and the Profile of Mood States were completed by 25 individuals who had a family member with a severe traumatic brain injury. These scales were also completed by a comparison group of 32 individuals who had no brain-injured family member. In terms of family functioning, the findings suggest that, when a family member suffers a severe traumatic brain injury, depression may be elevated, along with a decreased ability to express feelings, decreased time and energy for social and recreational activities, and increased control in comparison to families without a brain-injured member. While this might contribute to family isolation which could last for many years, the overall finding of the present study was that caregiver families were coping adequately.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Bond University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Gregory J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Boyle
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Haines
mesh_terms: D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000523:psychology*; D017028:Caregivers; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires