Life goals and social identity in people with severe acquired brain injury: an interpretative phenomenological analysis (original) (raw)

Objective This scoping review explores the constitution of a meaningful life as perceived by adults with acquired neurological impairment following an injury or a disease. Introduction A neurological injury or disease imposes extensive life changes on the affected person and his or her close relatives. Including the patients’ perception of a meaningful life is crucial to facilitate adjustment of any rehabilitation initiatives to the patients’ wishes, hopes, needs, and preferences. Even so, the descriptions and common traits of a meaningful life from the impaired person’s perspective are scarcely covered in the literature. Hence, a scoping review of existing knowledge is needed to facilitate quality rehabilitation and research initiatives. Inclusion criteria All studies, regardless of their design, are included provided they describe a meaningful life as considered or experienced by persons aged 18 years or more with neurological impairment. Methods A PICo framework defines the searc...

This study explores the processes that promote coping with abruptive life changes, often experienced as life before and after injury. The consept of meaning making, was used as theoretical framework for analysisthr. Family members of individuals with spinal cord and acquired brain injury participated in two focus groups three to twenty years post-injury. Data was analysed using thematic analyses. Two main themes were identified: drawing upon different coping strategies and balancing family needs against personal autonomy. Making sense of an altered situation was by keeping a positive outlook, making comparisons to worst cases, engagement in activities and making room for own needs. Thus, the study illistrates that life can continue in a good manner after adversities, but requires flexibility and adjustments.

This research portfolio aimed to increase understanding of the needs of people with Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) and their caregivers and provide insight in to how they may be better supported. The aim was to systematically review current literature on providing caregivers with person-to-person information and education during post-stroke rehabilitation and the effect this has on their depressive symptoms. The second aim was to discover moments that people experience post-ABI that they consider to be ‘personally important’, to explore the subjective meaning attached to these moments and the influence on their post-injury journey. A systematic review was conducted using electronic databases and manual reference search. Alongside this review ten individuals with ABI were interviewed. Interviews were analysed using grounded theory and a theoretical model was developed. The systematic review yielded 12 studies appropriate for inclusion. Nine studies were rated as having good methodologic...

There is a growing body of literature on the nature of subjective changes experienced following brain injury. This study employs personal construct and qualitative research methods to address the question of how people make sense of, or construe, themselves after brain injury. Thirty-two individuals who had experienced acquired brain injury engaged in small group exercises based on a personal construct approach. Bipolar constructs were elicited through systematic comparison of pre-injury, current and ideal selves. The constructs elicited in this way were subjected to a thematic analysis. Nine themes were derived and an acceptable level of reliability of the definitions of these themes achieved. The highest proportion of constructs fell into the theme “experience of self in the world”, followed by “basic skills” (cognitive, sensory, physical, social) and “experience of self in relation to self”. It is concluded that following brain injury, people make sense of themselves in terms of the meanings and felt experiences of social and practical activity. This is consistent with social identity theory and stands in contrast to traditional neuropsychological sense making in terms of impairments and abilities alone, or activity or social participation alone. The implications of these findings for future research and rehabilitation are briefly considered.

Participation restriction is a common consequence after acquired brain injury (ABI). To explore and identify problematic situations in everyday activities outside the home for persons with acquired brain injury. Two persons of working age with ABI were included. Data were generated through repeated semi-structured interviews and participant observations. Narrative analysis was used to capture ongoing processes related to problematic situations during engagement in everyday activities outside the home. The narratives reflect how places, everyday activities and social relations were closely connected and influenced engagement in everyday activities outside the home. The participants visited fewer places and performed more of their everyday activities alone in their homes after the injury compared to before. They were struggling to create meaning in their lives and trying to reformulate their identity. Problematic situations often occurred outside the home as a result of unexpected eve...