Abstract
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) produces cognitive, behavioral, and affective deficits with resulting problems such as improper social behavior, increased aggression, emotional, personality and characterological changes. The impact upon the survivor, the sibling, as well as the parental subsystem has been well documented in the literature. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) has been diagnosed in several different types of trauma survivors, although rarely have individual psychological symptoms been studied in parents.
This research examined the possible vulnerability factors that are associated with TBI and their potential influence upon PTSD symptomology. Questionnaires were mailed to 266 parents of TBI patients with a response rate of 16.5%. The mean time since the accident was seven years. Mean age of parents was 53 years with a majority of mothers (84.1%) responding to the questionnaire.
Over one-third (36.4%) of the sample population studied were found to have scores on the Penn Inventory that would qualify them for a PTSD diagnosis. Two correlates of having a Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) diagnosis were found in this sample of parents of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) patients. These correlates were lack of acceptance of the accident and loss of friends. PTSD symptom severity was found to correlate with lack of support of friends and lack of extended family support. Respondents reported that characterological and behavioral changes in their child were the highest reported stress. Almost half (45%) of the sample reported that family and faith had been their greatest strength. Being involved in the accident, having attended parent support groups, or having received individual counseling were not associated with having a PTSD diagnosis. Therefore, it could be speculated that parents with PTSD symptomology could be going unattended and are in need of future help in clinical as well as policy interventions.
LLU Discipline
Social Work
Department
Social Work
School
Graduate School
First Advisor
Beverly J. Buckles
Second Advisor
Hector Diaz
Third Advisor
Dianna Simon
Degree Name
Master of Social Work (MSW)
Degree Level
M.S.W.
Year Degree Awarded
1995
Date (Title Page)
6-1995
Language
English
Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings
Brain Injuries; Stress Disorders; Post-Traumatic
Type
Thesis
Page Count
v; 55
Digital Format
Digital Publisher
Loma Linda University Libraries
Copyright
Author
Usage Rights
This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.
Recommended Citation
Farr, Carol, "Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Parents of Traumatic Brain Injury Patients" (1995). Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects. 1853.
https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/1853
Collection
Loma Linda University Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Collection Website
http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/
Repository
Loma Linda University. Del E. Webb Memorial Library. University Archives
Included in
Personality and Social Contexts Commons, Social Psychology and Interaction Commons, Social Work Commons, Trauma Commons