Post-traumatic growth in acquired brain injury: a preliminary small scale study
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Joanna Collicutt McGrath1, P Alex Linley
1Oxford Centre for Enablement, Oxford, UK. jcollicutt@aol.co.uk
Primary Objective:
To examine the nature, degree and time course of positive psychological change in people with severe acquired brain injury.
Research Design:
This preliminary exploratory study employed a cross-sectional design, comparing two matched samples, one early post-brain injury (M = 7 months) and one late post-brain injury (M = 10 years).
Methods And Procedures:
The Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI), Sense of Coherence Scale-13 (SOC-13) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) were administered.
Main Outcomes And Results:
The samples differed significantly with respect to reported post-traumatic growth, with the late sample reporting higher levels. HADS anxiety was significantly associated with post-traumatic growth. Both samples achieved high scores on the SOC-13.
Conclusions:
The participants showed evidence of substantial positive psychological change, demonstrating that it is not precluded by severe brain injury. The results suggest that this develops slowly over time and requires a degree of emotional engagement.
