Bridges and barriers: A case study of parents' perception of factors that impact a child with traumatic brain injury

The goal of this study was to interview parents who have a child with traumatic brain injury (TBI) in order to pinpoint (a) services that have helped or hindered the recovery process, (b) how the relationship with the in-home support staff impacted the parent's ability to effectively intervene with their a child, and (c) the ongoing challenges and need for services. Participants were a 46-year-old single mother of a 13-year-old boy who suffered a TBI as the result of a car accident at 6 months of age; a 39-year-old married female with a 13-year-old daughter who suffered a TBI at birth; and a 42-year-old remarried female with a 13-year-old son who suffered a TBI as the result of a car accident at 7 years of age. In-home support staff/behavior coaches were also interviewed. Data were collected through a series of semi structured interviews and review of the child's behavior reports. Major findings include (a) parents expressing high levels of frustration with the lack of support and understanding from service providers (mental health, educational and medical), (b) families tending to feel socially isolated because others cannot understand or handle the behavior of a child with TBI, (c) how the partnership of parent and in-home support staff provides the family with the necessary support and guidance when intervening with their child, and (d) fears about the future regarding the recovery and independence of their child as well as the unpredictability of their child's behavior and capacity to hurt others