This study aims to describe and explore the lived experience of mothers whose children, aged 0—16 years, have sustained a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Mothers were interviewed between 2 and 10 years following the TBI. The study employed a qualitative method, interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), following semi-structured interviews with 10 mothers. Validity measures included independent audit of the analysis. The analysis generated themes of `changes to and loss of the past child', `effects on mother's health', `mother's process of coping and support', `changed roles', `effects on the whole family' and `contact with services'. Discussion of the links between participants' accounts and grief and attachment theories is provided, with a view to informing assessment and rehabilitative practice with children and families. The clinical implications of mothers' descriptions for psychological intervention and service delivery are explored.
Adams, R.,Parsons, O.,Culbertson, J., & Nixon, S.J. (Eds.). (1996). Neuropsychology for clinical practice: Etiology, assessment, and treatment . Washington: American Psychological Association.
2.
Benn, K.M., & McColl, M.A. (2004). Parental coping following childhood acquired brain injury. Brain Injury, 18(3), 239-255.
3.
British Psychological Society. (2004). Services for children with acquired brain damage. Leicester , UK: British Psychological Society.
4.
Bronfenbrenner, U. (1999). Environments in developmental perspective: Theoretical and operational models. In T.D. Wachs & S.L. Friedman (Eds.), Measuring environment across the life span: Emerging methods and concepts (pp.3-28). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association .
5.
Brooks, D., Campsie, L., Symington, C., Beattie, A., & McKinlay, W. (1986). The five year outcome of severe blunt head injury: A relative's view. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, 49, 764-770.
Crittenden, P. (2006). A dynamic-maturational model of attachment. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy, 27(2), 105-115.
9.
Crouchman, M. (1990). Children with head injuries. British Medical Journal, 301, 1289-1290.
10.
Curtiss, G., Klemz, S., & Vanderploeg, R. (2000). Acute impact of severe traumatic brain injury on family structure and coping responses. Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, 15(5), 1113-1122.
11.
Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions. (1998). Road accidents of Great Britain: Casualty report . London: Stationery Office.
12.
Department for Education and Skills. (2004 ). Every child matters: Changes for children. London: Department of Education & Skills.
13.
Elliott, R., Fischer, C., & Rennie, D. (1999). Evolving guidelines for publication of qualitative research studies in psychology and related fields. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 38, 215-229.
14.
Gergen, K. (1999). An invitation to social constructionism. London: SAGE.
15.
Gervasio, A., & Kreutzer, J. (1997). Kinship and family members' psychological distress after traumatic brain injury: A large sample study. Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, 12(3), 14-26.
16.
Glaser, B., & Strauss, A. (1967). The discovery of grounded theory: Strategies in qualitative research. Chicago: Aldine.
17.
Groveman, A., & Brown, E. (1985). Family therapy with closed head injured patients: Utilizing Kubler-Ross' model. Family Systems Medicine, 3(4), 440-446.
18.
Hartman, S. (1987). Patterns of change in families following severe head injuries. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy, 8(3), 125-130.
19.
Hawley, C. (2003). Reported problems and their resolution following mild, moderate and severe traumatic brain injury amongst children and adolescents in the UK. Brain Injury, 17(2), 105-129.
20.
Hawley, C., Ward, A., Magnay, A., & Long, J. (2002). Children's brain injury: A postal follow-up of 525 children from one health region in the UK. Brain Injury , 16(11), 969-985.
21.
Holmes, J. (2001). The search for the secure base: Attachment theory and psychotherapy. Hove, UK: Brunner-Routledge .
22.
Karpman, T., Wolfe, S., & Vargo, J. (1986). The psychological adjustment of adult clients and their parents following closed-head injury. Journal of Applied Rehabilitation Counseling, 17(1), 28-33.
23.
Laroi, F. (2000). Treating families of individuals with traumatic brain injury: Presentation of clinical cases approached from a structural therapy perspective. Journal of Family Psychotherapy, 4, 69-77.
24.
Lezak, M. (1986). Psychological implications of traumatic brain damage for the patient's family. Rehabilitation Psychology , 31(4), 241-250.
25.
Linn, R., Allen, K., & Willer, B. (1994). Affective symptoms in the chronic stage of traumatic brain injury: A study of married couples. Brain Injury, 8(2), 135-147.
26.
Livingston, M., Brooks, D., & Bond, M. (1985). Patient outcomes in the year following severe head injury and the relatives' psychiatric and social functioning. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, 48, 876-881.
27.
Maitz, E. (1991). Family systems theory applied to head injury. In J. Williams & T. Kay (Eds.), Head injury - A family matter. London: Brookes.
28.
Max, J., Lindgren, S., Knutson, C., Pearson, C., Ihrig, D., & Welborn, A. (1997). Child and adolescent traumatic brain injury: Psychiatric findings from a paediatric outpatient speciality clinic. Brain Injury, 11(10), 699-711.
29.
Middleton, J. (2001). Practitioner review: Psychological sequelae of head injury in children and adolescents. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 42(2), 165-180.
30.
Mintz, M., Van Horn, K., & Levine, L. (1995). Developmental models of social cognition in assessing the role of family stress in relative's predictions following traumatic brain injury. Brain Injury, 9(2), 173-186.
31.
Oddy, M., & Herbert, C. (2003). Intervention with families following brain injury: Evidence-based practice. Neuropsychological Rehabilitation , 13(1/2), 259-273.
32.
Oddy, M., Humphrey, M., & Uttley, D. (1978). Stresses upon the relatives of head-injured patients . British Journal of Psychiatry, 133, 507-513.
33.
Perlesz, A., Kinsella, G., & Crowe, S. (1999). Impact of traumatic brain injury on the family: A critical review. Rehabilitation Psychology, 44(1), 6-35.
34.
Potter, J., & Wetherell, M. (1987). Discourse and social psychology: Beyond attitudes and behaviour. London: SAGE.
35.
Romano, M. (1974). Family response to traumatic brain injury. Scandinavian Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine, 6, 1-4.
36.
Roundhill, S., Williams, W., & Hughes, J. (2007). The experience of loss following traumatic brain injury: Applying a bereavement model to the process of adjustment. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 4(3), 241-257.
37.
Ruijs, M., Keyser, A., & Gabreels, F. (1994). Clinical neurological trauma parameters as predictors for neuropsychological recovery and long term outcome in paediatric closed head injury: A review of the literature. Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery, 96, 273-283.
38.
Schwartz, L., Taylor, H., Drotar, D., Yeates, K., Wade, S., & Stancin, T. (2003). Long-term behavior problems following pediatric traumatic brain injury: Prevalence, predictors, and correlates. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 28(4), 251-263.
39.
Slomine, B., McCarthy, M., Ding, R., MacKenzie, E., Jaffe, K., Aitken, M., et al. (2006). Health care utilization and needs after pediatric traumatic brain injury. Pediatrics, 117(4), 663-674.
40.
Smith, J., Jarman, M., & Osborn, M. (1999). Doing interpretative phenomenological analysis . In M. Murray & K. Chamberlain (Eds.), Qualitative health psychology: Theories and methods (pp. 189-240). London: SAGE.
41.
Smith, J., & Osborn, M. (2003). Interpretative phenomenological analysis. In J. Smith (Ed.), Qualitative psychology - A practical guide to research methods (pp. 51-80). London : SAGE.
42.
Smith, P., Yule, W., Perrin, S., Tranah, T., Dalgleish, T., & Clark, D. (2007). Cognitive-behavioural therapy for PTSD in children and adolescents: A preliminary randomized controlled trial. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 46(8), 1051-1061.
Stroebe, M., & Schut, H. (1999). The dual process model of coping with bereavement: rationale and description. Death Studies, 23, 197-224.
45.
Waaland, P., Burns, C., & Cockrell, J. (1993). Evaluation of needs of high- and low-income families following paediatric traumatic brain injury. Brain Injury , 7(2), 135-146.
46.
Willer, B., Allen, K., Durnan, M., & Ferry, A. (1990). Problems and coping strategies of mothers, siblings and young adult males with traumatic brain injury. Canadian Journal of Rehabilitation, 3(3), 167-173.
47.
Willig, C. (2001). Introducing qualitative research in psychology . Buckingham, UK: Open University Press.
48.
Yardley, L. (2000). Dilemmas in qualitative health research. Psychology and Health, 15, 215-228.
49.
Yeates, K., Taylor, H.G., Woodrome, T., Wade, S., Stancin, T., & Drotar, D. (2002). Race as a moderator of parent and family outcomes following paediatric traumatic brain injury. Journal of Paediatric Psychology, 27(4), 393-403.
50.
Zinner, E., Ball, J., Stutts, M., & Philput, C. (1997). Grief reactions of mothers of adolescents and young adults with traumatic brain injury. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 12(5), 435-447.
