The Influence of the Family Functioning and Social Relationships on Child Participation After Traumatic Brain Injury

ABSTRACT

Purpose

To describe the relationship amongst child and family characteristics (e.g. social relationships, family functioning) and child participation after traumatic brain injury (TBI) an average of 2.65 years post-TBI (SD = 2.12).

Method

Cross-sectional, secondary analysis of data collected as part of a larger research project.

Results

N = 44 children with TBI. Analysis revealed statistically significant correlations between child participation, family functioning, and child characteristics.

Conclusions

School-aged children with TBI might experience chronic participation restrictions, associated with challenges in family functioning. Professionals can support children with TBI and their families through follow-up services that include a focus on family-based interventions to better support long-term outcomes for this population.

KEYWORDS:

• Brain injury
• children
• long-term outcomes
• participation

Disclosure Statement

Libby Crook and Jessica S. Riccardi have no financial or nonfinancial relationships to disclose. Angela Ciccia is a full-time employee at Case Western Reserve University. She has no nonfinancial relationships to disclose. Jennifer Lundine is a full-time employee at The Ohio State University. Drs. Ciccia and Lundine received funding for this project as part of a project funded by the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U01 CE003164). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the CDC. Drs. Ciccia and Lundine have no non-financial disclosures to report.

Additional information

Funding

This study is supported by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), grant number U01CE003164. Data collection and management for STATBI is supported by REDCap through the Clinical and Translational Science Award - UL1TR002548.