Including children in family-focused acquired brain injury rehabilitation: a national survey of rehabilitation staff practice

OBJECTIVE: To establish whether rehabilitation staff work regularly with child relatives of adults with acquired brain injury to involve them in their family member's rehabilitation. To explore factors influencing rehabilitation staff's decisions about involving child relatives. DESIGN: A cross-sectional postal survey design was used for the main study. Questionnaire packs were sent to rehabilitation staff, followed by a reminder letter one week later. Non-responders received a follow-up pack after three weeks.A prospective design was used with a subsample of participants who re-completed the questionnaire one month later. SUBJECTS: Participants were 393 multidisciplinary staff working in rehabilitation services for adults with acquired brain injury throughout the UK. MAIN MEASURES: A questionnaire based on the theory of planned behaviour was designed specially for the purposes of the study. RESULTS: A response rate of 67% (n=263) was obtained. Few respondents (19%, n=50) reported carrying out work with child relatives. Perceived behavioural control (e.g. access to training, resources and support) significantly predicted staff's intention to work with child relatives, and whether they carried this out. Staff's attitudes towards work with child relatives also significantly predicted intentions. Other influential factors were anxiety, training, work setting and perceptions of colleagues' attitudes. CONCLUSIONS: Little work is carried out with child relatives by acquired brain injury rehabilitation staff, influenced by several factors. A priority in addressing this is to provide staff training.