Psychological status and role of caregivers in the neuro-rehabilitation of patients with severe Acquired Brain Injury (ABI).
Brain Inj
; 34(13-14): 1714-1722, 2020 12 05.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-33190555
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE:
To investigate the relationships between (a) the psychological status of the caregiver, (b) the specific features of caregiving as perceived by the cognitive therapist in neuro-rehabilitation, (c) the caregivers' subjective approach to neuro-rehabilitation, and (d) the functional outcome of the patient.METHODS:
Twenty-four patients with severe acquired brain injury and their 24 caregivers participated in this observational study. Caregivers underwent a psychological assessment examining emotional distress, burden and family strain; their subjective approach to neuro-rehabilitation has been evaluated by two specific answers. The patients' cognitive therapists responded to an ad-hoc questionnaire, namely the "Caregiving Impact on Neuro-Rehabilitation Scale" (CINRS), evaluating the features (i.e., amount and quality) of caregiving. Finally, the functional outcome of the patient was assessed through standardized scales of disability and cognitive functioning.RESULTS:
The caregivers' psychological well-being was associated to the features of caregiving, to the subjective approach to neuro-rehabilitation, and to the functional recovery of their loved ones. A better caregivers' approach to neuro-rehabilitation was also associated to an overall positive impact of caregiving in neuro-rehabilitation and to a better functional outcome of the patients.CONCLUSIONS:
We posited a virtuous circle involving caregivers within the neuro-rehabilitation process, according to which the caregivers' psychological well-being could be strictly associated to a better level of caregiving and to a better functional outcome of the patients that, in turn, could positively influence the caregivers' psychological well-being. Although preliminary, these results suggest a specific psycho-educational intervention, aimed at improving the caregivers' psychological well-being and at facilitating their caring of the loved one.Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Tipo de estudo:
Observational_studies
Limite:
Humans
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2020
Tipo de documento:
Article