The objective of this article is to determine whether a new questionnaire (the BIGI) is a valid and reliable measure of grief in a brain injured population. Design: Within group, questionnaire based prospective study of individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI). The BIGI was compared with other questionnaires to determine the construct validity and repeated to assess test re-test reliability. Results: The loss scale of the BIGI had a higher internal consistency than the adjustment scale. Test re-test reliability for both variables was good. Younger individuals appeared to be more likely to show a positive adjustment to a TBI than older individuals. Women reported higher scores for loss than men. On the adjustment scale, married individuals achieved lower scores than single persons. Conclusions: The BIGI scales of loss and adjustment were associated with a number of the other measures. The loss scale had a higher internal consistency than the adjustment scale. The clinical utility of the scale is discussed and further research suggested.
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