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Updated: Jun 12, 2026
10:59
Investigations on Alterations of Hippocampal Circuit Function Following Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Published on: November 19, 2012
Discovering a new identity after brain injury
1Institute for Behavioral Health, Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02454, USA. llorenz@brandeis.edu
Sociology of Health & Illness
|June 25, 2010
Summary
This study explores identity after acquired brain injury (ABI). Visual methods reveal survivors build new identities integrating past selves and meaningful activities.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychology
- Sociology
Background:
- Acquired brain injury (ABI) presents chronic challenges impacting identity.
- Self-perception and identity are central concerns for brain injury survivors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the identity formation process in individuals with acquired brain injury.
- To understand how survivors construct a sense of self post-injury using visual methods.
Main Methods:
- A qualitative narrative analysis of photographs and interviews from a brain tumour survivor.
- Development of a visual illness narrative to represent the lived experience of ABI.
Main Results:
- The visual narrative revealed a multifaceted post-ABI identity, including roles like chef, gardener, and self-advocate.
- Key identity issues involved adapting to the new self and integrating past strengths with new meaningful activities.
- Survivors build new identities by combining the injured self, residual strengths, and engagement in activities like work or volunteering.
Conclusions:
- Visual research methods offer a powerful way to explore and represent the complex identity shifts following ABI.
- Understanding these identity dynamics can help survivors integrate their experiences and perspectives on life post-injury.
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