title: A qualitative study of the emotional coping and support needs of children living with a parent with a brain injury.
abstract: To examine emotional coping and support needs in children of persons with acquired brain injury, with a view to understanding what interventions would be helpful for these children.
  
  
  
  The study was qualitative, using a thematic analysis approach.
  
  
  
  Six children between 9-18 years of age, six parents (three with ABI) and three support workers were interviewed either at home or at a support centre, using a semi-structured interview guide.
  
  
  
  Children reported using a variety of adaptive and maladaptive emotional coping strategies, but were consistent in expressing a need for credible validation, i.e. sharing experiences with peers. The results are presented under four overarching themes: difficulties faced; emotions experienced; coping strategies; and reported support needs.
  
  
  
  The results reveal an interaction between the child's experiences of complex loss that is difficult to acknowledge, emotional distancing between parent and child and the children's need for credible validation. All children expressed a desire for talking to peers in a similar situation to themselves, but had not had this opportunity. Interventions should set up such peer interaction to create credible validation for the specific distress suffered by this population.
authors.affiliation: a School of Psychology , University of East London , London , UK.
authors.forename: Poul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rohleder
authors.affiliation: b Department of Psychology , Anglia Ruskin University , Cambridge , UK.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lambie
authors.affiliation: b Department of Psychology , Anglia Ruskin University , Cambridge , UK.
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hale
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D001930:Brain Injuries; D002648:Child; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology
keywords: ABI; Children; coping; emotion; emotion regulation; parents; validation