Young People’s Experiences of Returning to Physical Leisure Activities after a Severe Acquired Brain Injury

Abstract

Aims

To understand the experiences of young people returning to physical leisure activities following a severe acquired brain injury (ABI).

Methods

Seven young people (5 male; 14–19 years) participated. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with young people who sustained a severe ABI 1–3 years prior to the study. Data thematically analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s six-phase approach.

Results

Three main themes were created: My changing sense of identity around physical activity after my brain injury (how important physical activity was to them, how participation changed following their ABI); Why I take part in physical leisure activities (fun, friendships, help with recovery and physical and emotional health); and I can’t do it alone (need for trusted adults to practically and emotionally support them to try and activities and continue to participate).

Discussion

Returning to physical leisure activities after ABI was important to young people, especially if they were active prior to their injury. However, participating with changed abilities was practically and emotionally challenging. Services need a multidisciplinary approach to ensure young people are supported with psychological processes of loss, adjustment, identity and resilience in addition to the practical help necessary to enable meaningful participation in activities they consider fun.

Keywords:

• Participation
• physical leisure activity
• brain injury
• adolescence
• childhood

Acknowledgements

Thank you to Clare & Jenny Hands, Colin Hamilton and Jenny Featherstone, who helped develop the study. Thank you to all the young people and families who piloted and participated in the study. Finally, thank you to the therapy team and the research team at The Children’s Trust who supported the project.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Gemma Kelly

Gemma Kelly, Msc, is a physiotherapist working with children with acquired brain injury in a clinical academic role at The Children’s Trust. Gemma’s research interests include rehabilitation interventions for children with acquired brain injuries, and their long-term outcomes and participation in leisure activities.

Lorna Wales

Lorna Wales, PhD, is an occupational therapist whose current role is Research Lead at The Children's Trust. Her research interests include the consequences, rehabilitation and outcomes of acquired brain injury in childhood. She has a particular interest in the interruption to the development of self-awareness following a childhood ABI.

Louise Owen

Louise Owen, DClinPsy, BSc (Hons), is a Principal Clinical Psychologist working with children with acquired brain injuries and their families at the Children’s Trust. Dr Owen has an interest in systemic and narrative ideas and approaches, combining these with her knowledge of neuropsychology in her clinical work.

Alison Perkins

Alison Perkins, PsychD, is a Clinical Psychologist practicing within the multidisciplinary team at The Children’s Trust, which provides neurorehabilitation for children with brain injury. She has a particular interest on the impact of an ABI on the young person’s developing identity, and in the sociocultural factors that influence this.