Article

OBJECTIVES: To investigate coping flexibility in patients with newly acquired
brain injury and to investigate the influence of problem type, self-efficacy,
self-awareness and self-reported executive functions on coping flexibility.
METHODS: Data were collected from a prospective clinical cohort study of 136
patients assessed after discharge home (mean time since injury = 15 weeks) and 1
year later. Situation-specific coping was measured by asking patients to complete
the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS) for 3 acquired brain injury
(ABI)-related situations, which were then categorized into problem types
(physical, cognitive, emotional, behavioural, communication, other). Coping
consistency (number of strategies used throughout every situation) and
variability (range in frequency of use of strategies over situations) were
measured. Random effects regression analyses were used. RESULTS: Patients used
more task-oriented coping for cognitive compared with physical problems. Coping
variability was limited. Reliance on emotion-oriented coping decreased over time.
Higher self-efficacy correlated with increased task-oriented and avoidance coping
and decreased emotion-oriented coping. Greater self-reported problems in
executive function correlated with greater consistency in task-oriented and
emotion-oriented strategies. CONCLUSION: Patients with acquired brain injury rely
on a defined set of coping options across situations and time. High self-efficacy
increases active coping. Subjective executive dysfunction might hamper effective strategy selection.

Langue : ANGLAIS