Traumatic head injury: Dimensions of family responsivity

Family response to traumatic brain injury

“…Several authors have also reported that patients with strong family supports progress further than those without family supports (Mauss-Clum & Ryan, 1981;Fahey et al, 1967;Stern et al, 1976). Parallel findings for families with chronically ill members have shown that family adjustment problems are more often related to the family's own coping style, resources and organization than to the patient's limitations (Zarski et al, 1988).…”

“…The concept of using a family systems approach, where the behaviour of family members is seen in the context of a series of interactions that support and maintain the family system, has recently begun to emerge in the rehabilitation literature (Minuchin et al, 1978;Wiley, 1983;Zarski et al, 1988). Consistent with this view, the field of rehabilitation of traumatically brain injured patients has started to accept that the rehabilitation efforts cannot be focused solely on the head injured patient, without involving the family.…”

“…The need for a systematic form of family intervention for families of head injured patients has been well documented in the literature (Bond, 1983;Mouss-Clum & Ryan, 1981;Rosenthal & Muir, 1983;Rosenthal & Young, 1988;Zarski et al, 1988). The most appropriate form of intervention, however, is open to debate and there has been little empirical research on the efficacy of various approaches.…”

“…In working with families with disabled family members, a number of writers have recognized the usefulness of a structural family therapy approach (Minuchin et al, 1978;Wiley, 1983;Zarski et al, 1988;Zarski et al, 1987). Structural family therapy is an approach associated with the work of Salvador Minuchin, 'directed at changing family organization or structures in order to alter behaviour patterns in its members' (Goldenberg & Goldenberg, 1985;p.…”

Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury

“…The stresses of accomplishing all the challenges associated with caring for their injured child can precipitate negative emotional reactions among family members, especially depression, blame, and anger (Zarski, DePompei, & Zook, 1988;Zarski, Hall, & DePompei, 1987). Family counseling is thus often initiated late in the recovery process, after the family has attempted (and possibly failed) to assimilate the behavioral, cognitive, language, and other changes in the head-injured child into the existing family structure.…”