TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2003//
TI  - Parental stress and burden following traumatic brain injury amongst children and adolescents
JO  - Brain injury
A1  - Hawley, Carol A.
A1  - Ward, Anthony B.
A1  - Magnay, Andrew R.
A1  - Long, Julie
SP  - 1
EP  - 23
VL  - 17
IS  - 1
N2  - PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: To assess parental stress following paediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI), and examine the relationship between self-reported problems, parental stress and general health. RESEARCH DESIGN: Parents of 97 children admitted with a TBI (49 mild, 19 moderate, 29 severe) to North Staffordshire National Health Service Trust, and parents of 31 uninjured children were interviewed and assessed. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Structured interviews were carried out with families, and parents assessed on the Parenting Stress Index (PSI/SF) and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) at recruitment, and repeated 12 months later. MAIN OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: Forty parents (41.2%) of children with TBI exhibited clinically significant stress. Regardless of injury severity, parents of injured children suffered greater stress than control parents as measured by the PSI/SF (p = 0.001). There was a highly significant relationship between number of problems reported and level of parental stress (p = 0.001). Financial burden was related to severity of TBI. At follow-up, one third of parents of children with severe TBI scored > or =18 on the GHQ-12, signifying poor psychological health. CONCLUSIONS: The parents of a child with serious TBI should be screened for abnormal levels of stress. Parental stress and family burden may be alleviated by improved information, follow-up and support.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0269-9052
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/
ID  - ref1
ER  -