Enhancing communication between a person with TBI and a significant other through arts: pilot project

Abstract

The neurological consequences following a traumatic brain injury (TBI) greatly affect the person's daily life as well as that of the supporting relatives who often feel powerless. The social integration of people suffering from TBI is a long-term situation. TBI often involves communication and behavioural disorders that become limitations to social participation. In general, interventions focus on reducing the individual's difficulties and do not consider strengthening their potential. Leisure, notably arts, has been found to assist in adapting to the loss of autonomy and enhancing social reintegration. This paper proposes a new approach focused on strengthening potential through artistic recreational activities as a medium for improving communication between a person with a TBI and his/her relative. A pre-experimental study was conducted with a group of dyads of persons with TBI and their significant other (n=5 dyads). Unexpected quantitative changes were found on the Perception of Relationship and Activities Scale, more specifically on the sharing pleasant events sub-scale which decreased for the significant other group, as well as decreases on the feelings, values and feasibility of this sub-scale. However, the qualitative results revealed interesting impacts of the programme on self-realization and relationships. These data will allow us to further test the programme in an experimental study.

Keywords:

• arts
• communication
• traumatic brain injury
• positive aspects
• caregivers
• leisure

Acknowledgements

This study was supported by a research grant awarded to the first two authors as part of an ONF-REPAR (Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation-Réseau de Recherche en Adaptation-Réadaptation du Québec) team grant (2007–2010). We gratefully thank all of our participants for their enthusiastic participation. The participation of the following community associations is acknowledged: Centre d'immersion en arts La Fenêtre et Association des traumatisés crâniens de la Mauricie. We express our thanks to Marie-Christine Hallé et France Bergeron, for their assistance, and to our research assistants: Caroline Mailloux and Laura-Kim Dumesnil.

Notes on contributors

Hélène Carbonneau is a Professor in leisure and health in the department of leisure, culture and tourism studies at Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, (Canada). She holds a master degree and a PhD in gerontology from Université de Sherbrooke. Her research interests include leisure education, inclusion, gerontology, disabilities and caregiving with a focus on positive aspects and strengths enhancement.

Professor Guylaine Le Dorze is at the School of Speech-Language Therapy and Audiology at the Université de Montréal. She holds a PhD in Linguistics from Université de Montréal. She is a senior researcher at the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation of Montreal. Her principal research interests include: communication disorders, aphasia rehabilitation, and psychosocial impacts of communication disorders, families, aging and brain injury.

France Joyal is a professor in art education in the Department of philosophy and arts of the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (Canada). Trained in visual arts and dance, she holds a master's degree in arts and a doctorate in education. Her researches concern representation, aesthetic experience, artistic dynamics, cognitive companionship and embodiement. Worried of reducing the ditch between the scientist and pragmatics, she is interested in the methodology of the research in arts and she multiplies the activities of diffusion gathering researchers, professionals and practitioners.

Marie-Josée Plouffe is a professor of theatre in Arts Education in the Department of philosophy and arts of the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (Canada). She holds a PhD in Arts and Practices Studies. She is interested by the factors that contribute to learning, enacting/performing and creation.