How do family members of individuals with spinal cord and acquired brain injuries make sense of their experiences: A qualitative study of meaning making processes.

This study explores the processes that promote coping with abruptive life changes, often experienced as life before and after injury. The consept of meaning making, was used as theoretical framework for analysisthr. Family members of individuals with spinal cord and acquired brain injury participated in two focus groups three to twenty years post-injury. Data was analysed using thematic analyses. Two main themes were identified: drawing upon different coping strategies and balancing family needs against personal autonomy. Making sense of an altered situation was by keeping a positive outlook, making comparisons to worst cases, engagement in activities and making room for own needs. Thus, the study illistrates that life can continue in a good manner after adversities, but requires flexibility and adjustments.

"It gets better. It can´t be worse than what we have been through." Family accounts of the minimally conscious state.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this qualitative study was to explore family life when a family member is in a chronic minimally conscious state (MCS). Experiences with the health care system were also explored. METHODS: As part of a larger qualitative study of family life after a family member suffers severe physical injury, we conducted a focus group interview with five family members of three patients in a chronic MCS. The participants included three mothers, one father, and one sibling. The length of time since the brain injuries was four, four, and ten years. A thematic analysis was conducted. RESULTS: Three main themes emerged. Each family reflected on the challenges of maintaining family unity. They also revealed how they had dealt with the ambiguity and severity of the situation, including the communication with the health care system. Finally, they described their journeys back toward a normal, everyday family life. CONCLUSIONS: The findings demonstrate challenges faced by family members but also their capacity to withstand and overcome adversity. Clinicians are reminded to maintain a long-term perspective and understand the importance of helping families adjust, maintain hope for a better future, and mitigate their psychological pain.

Exploring narratives of resilience among seven males living with spinal cord injury: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: It is a challenge for both individuals and families when an illness or traumatic injury results in a severe spinal cord injury. The on-going physical impairments experienced by persons with spinal cord injury play themselves out over time. Few qualitative studies have explored how health, resilience and wellbeing interplay across time among persons living with the consequences of severe physical injuries. Thus, the aim of this study was to obtain a deeper understanding of how individuals with spinal cord injury reflect upon the efforts, strategies and agency they perform to sustain long term resilience and wellbeing. METHODS: In this exploratory qualitative study, we conducted a thematic analysis of in-depth interviews with seven men who had lived with spinal cord injury for 2-32 years and who previously had undergone medical rehabilitation. RESULTS: The efforts revealed by the participants in normalising life with a spinal cord injury required continued flexibility, persistency and solution-focused adjustment, interpreted as processes documenting resilience. The participants were marshalling personal resources to handle challenges over time. They explained that they succeeded in maintaining health and wellbeing by manoeuvring between different strategies such as being self-protective and flexible as well as staying active and maintaining a positive attitude. Further, support from relational resources were of utmost importance emotionally, socially and when in need of practical assistance. When harnessing relational resources when needed, the participants underlined that balancing dependence and autonomy to remain a part of ordinary life was essential in staying emotionally stable. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of the present study show similarities to those of previous studies with regard to the participants' attribution of their resilience and wellbeing to their innate personal abilities and strong connection to their family and friends. In addition, the current participants provide enlightening nuances and depth that expand our understanding of the construct of resilience by highlighting the importance of continuously exerting agency, willpower and strength through rational cognitive strategies to adjust and adapt to chronic and new challenges.