Affective Changes following Severe Head Injury as Perceived by Patients and Relatives

Abstract

This article investigates the differences in perceptions of affective changes, following severe head injury, by patients and relatives. Patients attending a specialist rehabilitation centre and a close relative were asked to complete a semantic differential rating scale of the patient's present self, past [premorbid] self and future self (Tyerman and Humphrey¹). Both patients and relatives indicated that there were significant changes on a wide range of constructs as a result of the injury. Patients tended to see themselves in a more positive light than relative regarding present self. Both patients and relative anticipated a return to past [premorbid] self within a year. These apparent differences in perceptions of affective changes following severe head injury may have important implications for the amount of support and counselling which needs to be offered to the relative of the head-injury patient during rehabilitation.