Beyond academic performance: Practice implications for working with students following traumatic brain injury

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Education
• Rehabilitation

Background:

• Traumatic brain injury (TBI) significantly impacts students' educational journeys.
• Secondary and tertiary students with TBI face challenges extending beyond academic performance.
• The role of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in supporting these students is crucial but requires a broader scope.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify non-academic issues affecting educational participation for students with TBI.
• To propose an evidence-based framework for SLPs to guide their practice.
• To explore strategies for SLPs to support students with TBI beyond traditional academic interventions.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative research approach utilizing interviews with three adolescent males post-severe TBI.
• Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using grounded theory.
• Data analysis focused on experiences returning to education after TBI.

Main Results:

• Six key themes emerged impacting educational participation beyond academics: community awareness, TBI's invisibility, daily life reintegration, educational re-entry planning, social acceptance, and long-term adjustment.
• These themes highlight the multifaceted challenges faced by students with TBI.
• A clinical framework was developed to integrate these findings into SLP practice.

Conclusions:

• SLPs can enhance educational success and wellbeing for students with TBI by addressing factors beyond academic performance.
• Interventions should encompass social, environmental, and adjustment-related issues.
• Expanding the SLP role is vital for holistic student support.