The PARENT model: a pathway approach for understanding parents' role after early childhood mild traumatic brain...

Area of Science:

• Pediatric neurology
• Child psychology
• Family medicine

Background:

• Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is common in children, with the highest emergency department rates in those under 6.
• Child mTBI outcomes are influenced by injury, biological, functional, and environmental factors.
• Parental and familial factors play a crucial role in pediatric mTBI recovery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review evidence on the impact of parental and familial factors on pediatric mTBI recovery.
• To illustrate how parental factors influence outcomes in early childhood mTBI.
• To introduce a model explaining parental influence on early mTBI recovery.

Main Methods:

• Topical review of empirical studies on family functioning and parental factors in pediatric mTBI.
• Development of a pathway approach and conceptual model for parental response to early mTBI.
• Introduction of the "Perception, Attribution, and Response after Early Non-inflicted Traumatic Brain Injury" (PARENT) model.

Main Results:

• Empirical studies show family functioning and parental factors (mental state, parenting style, interaction quality) affect pediatric mTBI recovery.
• Parental perception, attribution, and response to a child's post-concussive symptoms are key determinants of recovery.
• The PARENT model highlights the critical role of adaptive parental responses in shaping early mTBI outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Parental and familial factors are central to pediatric mTBI recovery, especially in early childhood.
• The PARENT model provides a framework for understanding how parental responses influence early mTBI outcomes.
• Adaptive parental perception, attribution, and response are crucial for positive recovery trajectories in young children with mTBI.