'We are the forgotten victims': Perspectives of adult siblings of persons with traumatic brain injury.
OBJECTIVE
This study determined how the lives of a cross-national sample of adult siblings had changed since their brothers and sisters incurred a traumatic brain injury.


METHODS
A total of 272 participants provided responses to the question, 'How is your life different since your sibling had a TBI?' Responses were analysed through the constant comparative method of textual analysis.


METHODS
Responses were collected through a mailed-survey. The analysed question appeared at the end of a 243-item quantitatively-based survey containing five open-ended questions.


RESULTS
Three themes emerged: (1) 'Family impacts' such as growing up with a sibling with TBI and impact on family closeness; (2) 'Caring' including caring for and about the family member; and (3) 'Making sense of the experience' through adjustment and personal development.


CONCLUSIONS
The study demonstrates that having a sibling with a TBI can result in profound and enduring negative and positive life changes for non-injured siblings. Professionals need to attend to the needs of siblings for support and guidance and should be considered as key informants about their injured family members during intake and service planning.
Degeneffe
Charles Edmund
CE
Department of Administration, Rehabilitation, and Postsecondary Education, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92108, USA. cdegenef@mail.sdsu.edu
Olney
Marjorie F
MF
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000523:psychology*; D005195:Family Relations; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D035781:Siblings / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult