Citation

Riley GA, Keeble HS, Yasmin N, Hagger BF. Neuropsychol. Rehabil. 2019; ePub(ePub): 1-21.

Affiliation

Centre for Applied Psychology , University of Birmingham , Birmingham , UK.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/09602011.2019.1566078

PMID

30642233

Abstract

Some partners of people with an acquired brain injury experience the person with the injury and their relationship as continuous with the pre-injury person and relationship, but others experience the person and relationship as very different to what went before. Previous qualitative research has suggested that the experience of continuity may promote a more person-centred approach to how partners respond to challenging care needs. Given the value of triangulating evidence, this exploratory study used a mixed-methods design to investigate this suggestion. Twenty-six partners of people with an acquired brain injury completed the Birmingham Relationship Continuity Measure and a semi-structured interview about their response to challenging care needs. Interviews were coded and scored to provide a measure of the extent to which the participants' understanding, management and emotional responses showed a person-centred approach. The findings supported the hypothesis. Greater continuity was significantly correlated with a more person-centred approach. Associating relationship continuity and person-centred care is a novel approach to the issue of how family relationships may impact on care quality. Person-centred care can have important benefits for both the giver and receiver of care. Whether it can be promoted through fostering a sense of continuity in the relationship merits further investigation.

Language: en

Keywords

Brain injury; Challenging behaviour; Family carer; Person-centred care; Relationship continuity