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MODIFICATION OF COMMUNICATION BARRIERS IN THE REHABILITATION OF TBI PATIENTS

Effective communication between TBI patients and caregivers is often a decisive factor in treatment outcome. The goal of our research was to evaluate the effectiveness of the “Academy of Life” therapy program in the rebuilding of damaged relationships, the reduction of barriers to effective communication, and the elimination of social isolation. We studied 200 families, in which one member (a spouse or partner) had suffered a very severe TBI. The subjects were divided into two clinical groups: Group A, with symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and Group B, without PTSD. All subjects and their spouses took part in the “Academy of Life” Program. The methods used included a clinical interview, the Family Ties Scale, the Social Isolation Scale, and the “Communication Functions” subscale of the TBI QOL Battery. The subjects were tested at baseline and after 6 months of participation in the Academy of Life. At baseline all subjects showed marked cognitive, emotional, and social dysfunctions, major communicative barriers between spouses, and feelings of social isolation, much greater in Group A. In the second examination there was non-significant improvement in all these areas, with the exception of emotional family bonds in Group A, perhaps due to diminished insight. The Academy of Life, despite its proven effectiveness in reducing cognitive dysfunctions in severe TBI patients, is relatively less effective in reducing barriers to effective communication and social isolation. It is also unable to fully rebuild damaged family and partner relations.