Differentiation of three brain injury family types

The purpose of this study was to advance the research on brain injury families by differentiating between families with one of three family types. Participants were 76 primary caregivers of individuals with brain injuries recruited through the brain injury association of a Southern state in the US. Families were classified as Balanced (n = 33), Mid-range (n = 24), or Extreme (n = 19) type using the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales II (FACES II). Three two-way discriminant analyses were performed using eight variables to discriminate between the family types. Results indicated that the affective and cognitive functioning of the family members with the brain injuries, family adaptation, and primary caregiver age were the strongest factors that differentiated the three family types. These findings suggest that Balanced, Mid-range, and Extreme families are distinct subgroups within the brain injury family population. The results, thus, may be beneficial for improving the efficacy of family intervention following brain injury and facilitating the development of long-term family supports.