There is a need to develop interventions that address the entire family after spinal cord injury (SCI), especially in Latin America, where rehabilitation resources are limited and little is known about family adjustment to SCI. : To evaluate the short-term (post-intervention) and longer term (6-month) effectiveness of the newly developed, 8-session manualized family intervention for individuals with SCI and their family members compared to a control group.: In this clinical demonstration project, longitudinal self-report data were collected from 8 individuals with SCI and their family members in Colombia, South America. The 8 families were randomly assigned to either the SCI intervention group or the waitlist control group. The intervention group included 10 individuals from 4 different families, with a mean age of 41.40 years ( = 14.18). The control group was composed of 13 individuals from 4 different families with a mean age of 44.38 years ( = 14.76). All participants completed Spanish versions of instruments that assessed depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9), anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7), burden (Zarit Burden Interview), and perceived problem-solving skills (Problem-Solving Inventory). : Results provide preliminary evidence that symptoms of depression, anxiety, and burden as well as problem-solving appraisals improved significantly for individuals who participated in the intervention, whereas no change in symptoms was observed among those in the waitlist control group.: Findings suggest that this newly developed intervention for families facing SCI can be beneficial; however, this pilot study represents only the first step in the examination of the efficacy and effectiveness of this intervention.

This qualitative study explores mother-adult daughter relationships through in-depth, individual interviews with 24 adult daughters and their mothers (N = 48). Using a life-course perspective, the authors examined the kinds of themes that emerged in each woman's narrative and within each motherdaughter pair. Given the periods of adulthood under study, the authors expected and found themes reflecting complexity and ambivalence within the relationships. Themes related to intimacy and positive relationship qua lities included generational continuity, closeness, emotional support, and family norms/values. Themes indicating autonomy and relationship difficultiesgenerational change, conflict, secrets, and maternal pressures-were also identified. Generational differences, as well as within-dyad divergence, were found most often in narratives about autonomy and relationship difficulties. The majority of mothers and daughters reevaluated their past relationship in light of their present ties. The place of narratives about adult family relationships in understanding the life course is emphasized.

The purpose of this study was to compare the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of 99 caregivers of individuals with dementia and 95 healthy individuals from the general population in Colombia. The 36-item short-form (SF-36), a self-report measure composed of 8 component areas (physical function, role-physical, bodily pain, general health, energy/vitality, social function, role-emotional, and mental health), was used to measure HRQoL. Results indicated that the healthy control group had a higher level of education, socioeconomic status (SES), and number of male participants. After adjusting for education, SES, and gender, the caregivers of individuals with dementia scored significantly lower on all of the SF-36 subscales than the healthy controls. These findings suggest the need for rehabilitation health professionals to develop and implement culturally appropriate interventions to improve the HRQoL of caregivers of individuals with dementia in Colombia.

Advances in medical and assistive technology have increased the likelihood of survival following a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Consequently, families frequently must provide care to individuals with TBI. Because they are rarely prepared for the associated demanding medical needs and financial burden, family caregivers are at risk for physical and emotional problems, which can negatively influence their individual and family functioning. Whereas scholars have examined the influence of survivor functioning on caregiver burden, few have explicitly recognized that caregiver burden also influences survivor functioning. Results of a multivariate linear regression suggest that, in a sample of 51 pairs of TBI survivors and their caregivers living in Colombia, survivors receiving care from a family member who reported a higher level of burden had poorer objective neuropsychological functioning than those receiving care from a family member who reported a lower level of burden, after controlling for survivor education and history of occupational therapy. Therefore, a family-focused approach might maximize intervention effectiveness, especially for Latin American and Hispanic families, which tend to be characterized by a strong sense of familism. The emphasis on family can create problems in a healthcare system that views the individual as the primary unit.

Acceptance of disability is a serious problem in this group of SCI survivors in Neiva, Colombia, especially among women and individuals with higher levels of depression. Because acceptance of disability is likely a problem for many individuals living with disability in the developing world, future researchers should investigate what interventions (e.g. counseling, pharmacological intervention, social service programs) can be implemented to improve acceptance of disability in this population.