Youth mentoring: A new holistic intervention targeting the needs of young persons with acquired brain injury

Holistic rehabilitation approaches addressing the numerous complex challenges in young persons with acquired brain injury are required. The purpose of this study was to describe and evaluate the holistic person-centered youth mentoring intervention program, which is based on occupational therapy.

Prospectively collected data were extracted from a national clinical quality database (n = 59). Proportions of young persons receiving different aspects of support and proportions rating the intervention as meaningful were calculated. One-year changes in occupation, work ability, and social interactions were calculated.

The young persons most frequently received support for energy management (75%) and structuring of everyday life (61%). Seventy-three percent rated the intervention as meaningful. One year post-inclusion, occupation and work ability had increased by 35% and 58%, respectively, and it had declined by 10% and 26%, respectively. The 1-year increase and decrease in social interactions were less clear (15% and 25%, respectively). One-year changes did not differ between those who entered the program early or late after injury indicating the potential beneficial effect of the program.

The findings could indicate that the program has a unique value in supporting young persons with acquired brain injury to create a meaningful everyday life through occupation, work ability, and social interaction.