Measuring Neurobehavioral Disabilities Among Severe Brain Injury Survivors: Reports of Survivors and Proxies in the Chronic Phase.

Neurobehavioral disability (NBD) has a major influence on long-term psychosocial outcome following acquired brain injury, as it affects not only the survivor of the brain injury, but the whole family. To investigate (1) the frequency of NBD among survivors of severe brain injury measured by the Danish version of the St Andrew's-Swansea Neurobehavioural Outcome Scale (SASNOS) rated by patients and proxies, (2) factors associated with NBD, and (3) concordance between reports of NBD completed by patients and proxies. SASNOS was administered at an outpatient unit as a part of a follow-up assessment after discharge from intensive neurorehabilitation.

Neuropsychological intervention in the acute phase: a pilot study of emotional wellbeing of relatives of patients with severe brain injury.

Objective: This pilot study investigated the effects of acute neuropsychological intervention for relatives of patients with severe brain injury.

Methods: Participants were enrolled in an intervention group comprising 39 relatives, and a control group comprising 47 relatives. The intervention consisted of supportive and psycho-educational sessions with a neuropsychologist in the acute care setting.

Depression, anxiety and quality-of-life among relatives of patients with severe brain injury: the acute phase.

Primary Objective: To investigate the emotional well-being of relatives of patients with a severe brain injury in the acute setting, as well as risk factors associated with high anxiety and depression scores and impaired quality-of-life.

Research Design: Clinical convenience sample.

Methods And Procedures: Participants included 45 relatives of patients with severe brain injury recruited at a NICU.

Neuropsychological support to relatives of patients with severe traumatic brain injury in the sub-acute phase.

Many studies have reported emotional distress in relatives of patients with brain injury, but few studies have investigated neuropsychological interventions for relatives. The present study assessed the amount of neuropsychological support as well as the actual number of sessions with a neuropsychologist during rehabilitation in a sub-acute unit. The study also examined whether the amount of support was related to the condition of the patient or the relative at admission.

Emotional distress and quality of life in relatives of patients with severe brain injury: the first month after injury.

Primary Objective: To investigate emotional distress and quality of life in a sample of Danish relatives of patients with severe brain injury at admission to intensive rehabilitation in the sub-acute phase.

Research Design: Clinical convenience sample.

Methods And Procedures: Participants included 31 primary relatives of patients with severe brain injury.

[Cognitive disturbances following severe traumatic brain injury].

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) very often has extensive effects of cognitive character such as changes in recognition, thought, memory, language and perception. The purpose of this paper is to give a short status of cognitive impairment after severe traumatic brain injury and to illustrate that cognitive impairment varies according to levels of consciousness. The article shortly describes typical observed behaviour in the patient when waking up after severe TBI, including post-traumatic amnesia.