Article

OBJECTIVES: To examine the efficacy of a peer-mentoring program for persons with
traumatic brain injury (TBI) and their significant others, and to determine the
relationship of this mentoring program to 3 main outcomes:
(1) emotional
well-being; (2) post-TBI quality of life; and (3) community integration. DESIGN:
Randomized controlled trial. SETTING: Midwestern rehabilitation hospital.
PARTICIPANTS: Persons with TBI (n=96) and significant others/caregivers (n=62).
INTERVENTIONS: Persons with TBI and friends/caregivers who knew the person prior
to their injury were randomly assigned to a treatment (mentored) or no-treatment
(no mentoring) control group immediately prior to discharge from the
rehabilitation unit and were mentored for up to 2 years.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:
Peer Mentoring Questionnaire; Brief Symptom Inventory-18; Family Assessment
Device; Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations; Short Michigan Alcohol
Screening Test; Medical Outcomes Study 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey; and
Community Integration Measure. RESULTS: Eighty-eight percent of individuals who
were involved in the mentoring program reported positive experiences. t tests
revealed that among persons with TBI, individuals who received mentoring had
significantly better behavioral control and less chaos in the living environment
(P=.04), lower alcohol use (P=.01), less emotion-focused (P=.04) and avoidance
coping (P=.03), and good physical quality of life (P=.04) compared with those who
did not receive mentoring. Among significant others, mentored individuals
demonstrated greater community integration (P=.03) than the nonmentored control
group. CONCLUSIONS: Mentoring can be an effective way to benefit mood and healthy
coping after TBI, and it can help to prevent maladaptive behaviors, such as
substance abuse and behavioral dyscontrol, in the living situation.
CI - Copyright (c) 2012 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by
Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS