Lay summary
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs frequently during early adulthood resulting in problems with cognition, i.e. reduced memory and attention, and social function, including higher rates of fatigue, irritability, low mood and anxiety.
However, little information exists regarding how parental TBI will impact on the family, particularly children who may not understand the sudden and dramatic change following TBI.
This research will investigate children’s understanding and perception of a parent's brain injury and the impact that this has on the child’s quality of life (QOL) and mood. Information gathered from children of parents who have TBI, using an interview and questionnaire format, will be used to identify the unique challenges that these children face, and the impact on their QOL and mood.
The long-term goal of this research will be to increase understanding of challenges associated with TBI and to develop appropriate support programmes to improve the QOL for these children.