Family burden following traumatic brain injury.

Abstract

This study investigated burden experienced by 60 spouses and 71 parents who served as primary carcgivers to individuals with traumatic brain injury. Burden levels, as assessed by the Questionnaire on Resources and Stress (QRS-SF), were compared for spouses and parents. Overall, both parents and spouses of individuals with traumatic brain injury exhibited high levels of burden. Relative to spouses, parents reported significantly greater burden related to lifespan care. Spouses reported significantly less personal reward than did parents. The presence of social aggression and cognitive disability in the individual with brain injury was found to have a greater association with subjective burden of caregivers than was the presence of physical disability or injury severity. Comparisons were made between QRS-SF scores for relatives of individuals with brain injury and QRS-SF scores reported in previous investigations focused on caregivers to individuals with other disabling conditions. It was found that the responsibility assumed by spouses and parents of individuals with brain injury was as great as that experienced by families of people with severe chronic physical disabilities.

Impact of traumatic brain injury on the family: A critical review.

“…In contrast to this finding, Allen et al (1994) reported that spouses and parents on the whole do not differ in their overall experience of burden. However, in comparing levels of burden in 60 spouses and 71 parents caregiving for a person with TBI, using the Questionnaire on Resources and Stress-Short Form (QRS-SF; Holroyd, 1985), parents appeared more burdened by concerns about their headinjured child's lifelong needs, whereas spouses reported significantly less personal reward in caring for the person with TBI.…”

“…However, in comparing levels of burden in 60 spouses and 71 parents caregiving for a person with TBI, using the Questionnaire on Resources and Stress-Short Form (QRS-SF; Holroyd, 1985), parents appeared more burdened by concerns about their headinjured child's lifelong needs, whereas spouses reported significantly less personal reward in caring for the person with TBI. Serio, Kreutzer, and Gervasio (1995) reported a similar difference between spouses and parents as did Allen et al (1994) in comparing the needs of caregivers (64 parents and 77 parents) an average of 28 months post-TBI, as reported on the Family Needs Questionnaire. Spouses who spent more time caring for their injured partner reported that fewer of their personal needs were adequately met, a finding not found for parents.…”

“…Several studies have reported that spouses and parents do not experience significantly different levels of stress and burden in caring for a partner or adult child with TBI (Allen et al, 1994;Brooks et al, 1987;Livingston et a!., 1985b;Oddy et al, 1978a). However, many authors continue to suggest that caregiving spouses in TBI populations are at greater risk for distress than caregiving parents (Gervasio & Kreutzer, 1997;Hall et al, 1994;Kreutzer et al, 1994b;Leathern, Heath, & Woolley, 1996;Mauss-Clum & Ryan, 1981;Panting & Merry, 1972;Rosenbaum & Najenson, 1976;Thomsen, 1974Thomsen, , 1984.…”

Life satisfaction and caregiving stress for individuals with stroke and their primary caregivers.

“…The QRS scores were generally lower (i.e., caregivers reported less stress) than those found in other studies. Allen et al (1994) presented data from previous studies using the QRS and from their own work with spouses and parents of individuals with traumatic head injury for seven QRS scales. They used four of the five scales that we used (excluding the Financial Stress scale).…”

“…These findings support the important role that caregi ving stress plays in the life satisfaction of caregivers. They also suggest that caregiver stress is less related to physical disability per se, and more to the way that disability is translated into everyday activities and behavior, as described by Allen et al (1994) and Chwalisz (1992) for brain injury.…”