Internationale Zeitschrift für Physikalische Medizin und Rehabilitation
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Coping with Traumatic Brain Injury: How do Post-Acute TBI Couples compare with those from the General Population on Psychological and Marital Adjustment?

Marie Claude Blais and Jean Marie Boisvert

Objective: The picture of psychological and marital adjustment of both partners in TBI couples is incomplete, equivocal and still needs to be clarified. The aim of this study is to compare the level of psychological and marital adjustment within a large sample of couples with TBI in the post-acute phase of rehabilitation (n=70) to that of a control group made up of 70 couples from the general population. Methods: This study uses a cross-sectional design. Couples with TBI were matched with those from the general population according to gender and duration of the marital relationship. All participants individually completed a series of self-report questionnaires assessing anxiety and depression, general well-being and marital satisfaction. Results: Hypotheses were partially confirmed; compared to their matched group, individuals with a TBI selfreported more psychological adjustment difficulties, but remained equally satisfied with their marital relationship. Their spouses manifested higher levels of depression and distress than their matched group, but maintained comparable levels of anxiety. Caregivers also reported being less satisfied with their marital relationship as compared with control spouses. Findings suggested that severity of the injury, time since the accident, and the duration of the relationship do not significantly influence the psychological and marital adjustment of the target groups, whereas financial burden does. Finally, within all groups of the study, there is a significant relationship between psychological adjustment and marital satisfaction. Conclusions: Adjustment represents a genuine challenge for both partners following a TBI, although each spouse is likely to experience difficulties in a particular sphere (personal versus marital). These data point to the relevance of adapting post-acute rehabilitation interventions to the specific needs of people with a TBI and their partners.