The influence of cultural background on motivation for and participation in rehabilitation and outcome following traumatic brain injury.
OBJECTIVE
To compare motivation for and participation in rehabilitation, outcome, and distress over role changes in persons with traumatic brain injury (TBI) from the dominant English-speaking culture in Australia versus those from minority culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds.


METHODS
Motivation for Traumatic Brain Injury Rehabilitation Questionnaire; Craig Handicap Assessment Reporting Technique.


METHODS
Two groups of persons with TBI, 38 of English-speaking backgrounds and 32 of CALD backgrounds.


RESULTS
Groups had similar education and preinjury employment status, both showed positive attitudes toward rehabilitation and participated equally in rehabilitation. However, CALD participants showed poorer outcomes in several domains, including postinjury employment status, cognitive independence, mobility and social integration, and showed greater distress about changes in ability to perform certain life roles.


CONCLUSIONS
Differences in outcome and levels of distress over role changes may occur in those from CALD backgrounds following TBI, independent of socioeconomic background and access to rehabilitation. There is a need to further investigate possible reasons for this, including beliefs, coping style, and emotional response to injury.
Saltapidas
Helen
H
Department of Psychology, Monash University, and the Monash-Epworth Rehabilitation Research Centre, Epworth Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.
Ponsford
Jennie
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D003469:Culture; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology*; D012380:Role; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D044465:White People / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*