title: Parental coping following childhood acquired brain injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine parental coping following an acquired brain injury of their child, the relationship between maternal and paternal coping, and the extent to which social support and family environment affect parental coping.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional design was used.
  
  
  METHODS
  Parents (n = 30) of children with acquired brain injury provided relevant demographic data and completed questionnaires investigating coping, social support and perceptions of family environment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Perception-focused coping strategies were used most often by parents. Mothers had a more extensive repertoire than fathers, and the relationship between maternal and paternal coping appeared to be complementary. Relationships were found between emotion-focused coping and instrumental support (r = 0.39) and perception-focused coping and family cohesion (r = 0.37).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Recognizing parental coping styles, enhancing the development of positive strategies, and underscoring the importance of social support and the family environment will assist parents to cope positively with their child's acquired brain injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Kelly Marie
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Benn
authors.forename: Mary Ann
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: McColl
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D020208:Brain Injury, Chronic / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005192:Family Health; D005220:Fathers / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D012944:Social Support