title: Mindful Connections: The Role of a Peer Support Group on the Psychosocial Adjustment for Adults Recovering From Brain Injury.
abstract: How does participating in a peer support group impact an adult's psychosocial adjustment following brain injury? This question was investigated using a qualitative approach, interviewing patients recruited from an ambulatory care program. Data analysis guided by Bury's sociological framework, biographical disruption and biographical repair, revealed participants' pregroup disrupted sense of self, including subthemes related to intrinsic losses and uncertainty. Enhanced psychosocial adjustment including subthemes described participants' reorientation through shared experience. Finally, a postgroup adapted sense of self including subthemes was characterized by heightened purpose, self-awareness, and acceptance. Findings lend weight to using tailored peer interventions to optimize psychosocial adjustment for this population.
authors: a Sinai Health System , Bridgepoint Active Healthcare-Ambulatory Care , Toronto , Ontario , Canada.
authors: Melissa
authors: M
authors: Cutler
authors: b Lunenfeld Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health System, and Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto , Toronto , Ontario , Canada.
authors: Michelle L A
authors: MLA
authors: Nelson
authors: c Sinai Health System, Bridgepoint Site, and Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing , University of Toronto , Toronto , Ontario , Canada.
authors: Maya
authors: M
authors: Nikoloski
authors: b Lunenfeld Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health System, and Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto , Toronto , Ontario , Canada.
authors: Kerry
authors: K
authors: Kuluski
keywords: Acquired brain injury; disability frameworks; mental health recovery; neurorehabilitation; peer group; psychosocial; qualitative; stroke