Abstract Examination of Self-Efficacy and Internal Locus of Control in Predicting Community Integration Following Moderate to Severe Traumatic Brain Injury

This study examines self-efficacy and internal locus of control beliefs as predictors of community integration independent of injury severity for a group of individuals with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury participating in an intensive life skills training program, Radical Rehab Solutions (RRS). Although the long-term affects associated with TBI vary depending on the type and severity of the injury, differences in recovery are seen for persons who appear to have identical injuries (Fuller, 1998). Traditional methods of predicting outcome based on measures of injury severity appear to be the most useful during the first year post-injury. Thereafter, neurological, psychological, and environmental processes appear to interact to influence recovery outcomes. The purpose of the current study is to move beyond the narrow focus of medical restoration approaches to provide further support for a model that conceptualizes cognitive beliefs as predictors of outcome following TBI independent of injury severity. Background: TBI is the leading cause of long-term disability among children and young adults (NIH, 1998). Although advances in acute medical management have enabled people to survive injuries that previously would have been fatal (Khan, Baguley, &amp