Domains and dimensions of community participation following traumatic brain injury

ABSTRACT

Primary Objective

To examine patterns of community participation, as well as the relationship among community participation outcomes and time since injury, impairments, environmental factors, and enfranchisement in adults with traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Research Design

Cross-sectional study of a sample of 61 adults with TBI.

Methods and Procedures

We administered the Participation Measure- 3 Domains 4 Dimensions to examine community participation in the three domains (productivity, community activities, and social participation) using four dimensions (diversity of activities, frequency, difficulty, and desire for change).

Main Results and Outcomes

All dimensions of community participation seem to be impaired following TBI, as evidenced by scores in the lower half of the available range. Most impaired was social participation (frequency: M = 10.0, SD = 3.4, possible range 0–24; difficulty: M=  11.3, SD = 3.2, possible range 4–16). Correlational analyses revealed that depression (r = 0.51), environmental factors (r = 0.51), and enfranchisement (r = 0.42), seem to play an important role in community participation outcomes, and may be potential targets for intervention. Results did not vary based on time since injury.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that depression, environmental factors, and enfranchisement may be important considerations for future interventions aiming to promote management of identified barriers.

KEYWORDS:

• Traumatic brain injury
• community participation
• enfranchisement
• environment
• depression

Declaration of interest statements

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.