Relationship Between Resilience, Adjustment, and Psychological Functioning After Traumatic Brain Injury: A Preliminary Report.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the relationship between resilience, psychological distress, adjustment, and community participation after traumatic brain injury (TBI).


METHODS
Large university health system.


METHODS
Adult survivors of mild to severe TBI (N = 96).


METHODS
Descriptive, preliminary.


METHODS
The Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (10-item version) was used to assess resilience, the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI-18) was used to characterize psychological distress, and the Mayo-Portland Adaptability Index (MPAI-4) was used to measure ability, adjustment, and participation.


RESULTS
Resilience scores were substantially lower than those of the general population. Significant relationships were found between resilience, psychological distress, and adjustment. Partial correlations (adjusting for the other MPAI-4 indices) showed significant correlation (P < .05) between MPAI-4 Adjustment and resilience. Partial correlations (adjusting for the other BSI-18 scales) also showed significance for Depression (P < .01) and resilience. Resilience scores differed significantly (P < .001) between individuals meeting BSI-18 caseness criteria for psychological distress (n = 55) and those not meeting criteria (n = 41).


CONCLUSIONS
Individuals with TBI are at risk for low resilience, which was found to correlate with psychological distress and psychosocial maladjustment. Developing interventions to strengthen resilience skills has the potential to improve postinjury psychosocial adjustment, an important area for future research.
Departments of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (Drs Lukow, Godwin, Mills, and Hsu and Ms Marwitz) and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Neurological Surgery, and Psychiatry (Dr Kreutzer), Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond.
Herman R
HR
Lukow
Emilie E
EE
Godwin
Jennifer H
JH
Marwitz
Ana
A
Mills
Nancy H
NH
Hsu
Jeffrey S
JS
Kreutzer
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000523:psychology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D000066498:Emotional Adjustment; D005260:Female; D015600:Glasgow Coma Scale; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055500:Resilience, Psychological; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology*