Characterising posttraumatic growth in individuals with TBI based on social participation, self-awareness, and self-identity

Research Objectives: To characterise individuals with higher and lower posttraumatic growth based on their social participation, self-awareness, and self-identity

Design: A sequential explanatory/exploratory mixed-methods design

Setting: General community in British Columbia

Participants: 15 participants with moderate to severe TBI (average age= 49.7, male= 10, average years post-injury= 15.2)

Interventions: Not applicable

Main Outcome Measures: Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews (approximately 40 minutes). Quantitative data were obtained from self-report questionnaires that assessed social participation (Impact of Participation and Autonomy), self-awareness (Awareness Questionnaire), self-identity (Head Injury Semantic Differential Scale-III), and global functioning (Mayo-Portland Adaptability Inventory-4). For the analysis, qualitative data were used to categorise participants into two groups of higher (n=8) and lower (n=7) posttraumatic growth. The quantitative data were then used to characterise the participants.

Results: Participants with higher posttraumatic growth had more social participation, higher self-awareness, and fewer negative discrepancies in their pre- and post-injury identities. Participants with lower posttraumatic growth had less social participation, lower self-awareness, and more negative discrepancies in pre- and post-injury identities.

Conclusions: This study contributes to the growing literature of posttraumatic growth after TBI by describing the characteristics of participants with higher and lower levels of posttraumatic growth. By integrating qualitative and quantitative data, this study provides a more comprehensive understanding about the subsequent growth that may take place after a TBI. Findings can facilitate future experimental studies to explore the relationships between posttraumatic growth and social participation, self-awareness, and self-identity in individuals with TBI.

Author(s) Disclosures: There are no author disclosures.