[The adaptation process of adults who sustained craniocerebral trauma]

The adaptation process of adults who had sustained a traumatic brain injury is not well understood.

This qualitative study explores the adaptation process of adults presenting the sequelae of a traumatic brain injury.

Fifty-three community-dwelling adults with the sequelae of traumatic brain injury participated in an individual interview and answered open-ended questions.

The qualitative analysis, inspired by the phenomenological tradition, reports an adaptation process in six stages. The elements which influenced this process as well as the effective coping strategies according to the participant's perception are described. The adaptation process of this clientele is affected primarily by the nature of the cognitive sequelae, as well as the circumstances of the traumatic event.

The realization of significant occupations is one of the key elements of this process, sometimes associated to an important interior transformation from the point of view of personal standards and values.