Perceptions of psychosocial deficits post two years as experienced by closed head injured adults and their families : an exploratory study

The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine responses of 18 closed­ head injured adults with moderate to extremely severe head-injury (according to the Post-Traumatic Amnesia Scale), and 10 family members. The responses of both these groups was directly compared utilising three scales (Closed head-injury Cognitive Scale, Closed head head-injury Physical Scale & the Head Injury Behavioural Scale) and by utilising three standardised clinical instruments (the Beck Depression Inventory, the State-Trait Anxiety Scale, & the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory). All the participants in this study took part in a semi­ structured interview with the researcher to investigate deficits in four areas of functioning, namely, the physical, cognitive, behavioural and emotional areas. Perceptions of preinjury and postinjury employment status was also evaluated. The results revealed that significant changes in psychosocial functioning were perceived by all the participants. Specifically, more of the family members tended to rate negative changes in the behavioural area, while the same numbers in both groups perceived the magnitude of changes in the cognitive area. Both groups acknowledged physical impainnent, however the CHI participants rated more negative changes in the physical area. In the emotional sequelae, CHI participants indicated some depression, anxiety and anger problems at the time of testing. Substantial negative employment changes were perceived by all the participants. Implications of these results are discussed and suggestions for rehabilitation, especially in the Canterbury area, New Zealand, that were reported by the participants are included