Family Forward: a social work clinical trial promoting family adaptation following paediatric acquired brain injury

ABSTRACT

Objective: To test the efficacy of a family intervention Family Forward in promoting early adaptation following a child’s acquired brain injury (ABI).

Research design: Prospective, sequential comparison group design.

Methods and procedures: Families of children (n = 47) diagnosed with ABI received Family Forward (n = 25): two family counselling sessions plus optional multi-family group session per week or Usual Care (n = 22) during their child’s inpatient rehabilitation admission. Family adaptation outcomes were measured using Family Assessment Device (FAD-GF) and Family Management Measure (FAMM). Relationships between family psychosocial risk, social work interventions, and family adaptation outcomes were explored.

Main outcomes and results: The Family Forward group endured longer hospital admissions (FF M = 56.4 days SD 46.1; p = 0.029), rehabilitation admissions (FF M = 33.3 days SD 29.0; p = 0.019) and reported poorer functioning pre-intervention FAD-GF (FF M = 1.626 SD = 0.391; UC M = 1.491 SD 0.394) than the Usual Care group. No significant difference in family adaptation outcomes (FAD-GF) were detected; this suggests that the Family Forward intervention played a protective role in preventing deterioration in family functioning. The Family Forward group achieved superior outcomes in managing their child’s care at home (FAMM Child Management Ability scale p = 0.029) and greater parental satisfaction in focusing on their child’s care (FAMM Parent Mutuality scale p = 0.04) post-intervention.

Conclusion: The Family Forward intervention moderated for poorer initial family functioning to achieve positive family adaptation outcomes.

KEYWORDS:

• Family intervention
• adaptation
• social work
• paediatric rehabilitation
• clinical trial
• caregiver
• brain injury

Disclosure of interest

The authors report no conflict of interest.