title: Brain injury family intervention for adolescents: A solution-focused approach.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Strengths-based approaches are increasingly utilized in health care, but little is known about their practical application in rehabilitation with families after pediatric acquired brain injury (ABI).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe a strengths-based model, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) and its clinical application to family intervention for adolescents with ABI.
  
  
  METHODS
  A literature review highlights a growing movement towards resilience and strengths-based approaches to family intervention after pediatric ABI. The authors introduce the assumptions, tenets, and clinical application of SFBT, which is a competency-based and resource-based model that focuses on family strengths and successes. A direct comparison is made between the traditional medical model and the solution-focused paradigm.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Key elements of SFBT are described, including specific strategies, techniques, and its clinical application in the Brain Injury Family Intervention for Adolescents (BIFI-A). The BIFI-A, designed for adolescents with ABI and their families, is a 12-session manualized intervention that encompasses education about ABI, skill building, and emotional support.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Given the increased interest for research regarding strengths-based approaches in pediatric rehabilitation, the utilization of SFBT with families of adolescents with ABI warrants further attention and investigation. The BIFI-A, with its underpinnings of SFBT, is a promising new family system intervention that also merits further research.
authors.forename: Caron
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gan
authors.forename: Marilyn
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ballantyne
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005196:Family Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D011614:Psychotherapy, Brief / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Family; adolescent; brain injuries; family therapy; rehabilitation; solution-focused therapy; strengths-based family interventions