Communication between rehabilitation staff and people with traumatic brain injury: A systematic review

This systematic review aimed to synthesize barriers and facilitators in communicative interactions between staff and people with traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the rehabilitation context. Searches captured published evidence up to November 2022 in MEDLINE, Embase, SCOPUS, Web of Science, CINAHL, AMED, and PsycINFO. Eligible studies reported on the communicative interaction between rehabilitation staff and adults with TBI. In total, 31 studies were included in the review; including quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods designs. Quality assessment was carried out using standard checklists. Quantitative studies and quantitative components of mixed-method studies were synthesized descriptively according to reported communication barriers and facilitators. Qualitative studies and qualitative components of mixed-method studies were analysed through an inductive thematic meta-synthesis; generating six main themes with four subthemes. Themes were categorized as barriers or facilitators to communicative interaction. Findings demonstrated that cognitive-communication disorders of people with TBI challenge the communicative interaction between rehabilitation staff and people with TBI. However, the extent to which these disorders create a communicative barrier is closely related to staff's communicative approach. While staff holding a collaborative and acknowledging approach and using supportive strategies may facilitate successful communicative interactions, staff using the opposite approach may exacerbate communication barriers.