Skip to main content
PMC home page
Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry logoLink to Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry
. 1985 Sep;48(9):870–875. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.48.9.870

Three months after severe head injury: psychiatric and social impact on relatives.

M G Livingston, D N Brooks, M R Bond
PMCID: PMC1028486  PMID: 4045481

Abstract

Female relatives of defined groups of consecutive male minor and severe head injury victims were seen at home 3 months after the injury. The relatives of the severely injured suffered significant psychiatric morbidity compared to the minor head injury relatives. They also showed poorer functioning in social roles associated with the home. There was no difference in the vulnerability of either wives or mothers of the head injury victims. It is argued that there is a need for support for the relatives of those who have suffered severe brain injury.

Full text

PDF
873

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Brooks D. N., Aughton M. E. Cognitive recovery during the first year after severe blunt head injury. Int Rehabil Med. 1979;1(4):166–172. doi: 10.3109/03790797909164038. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Brooks D. N., McKinlay W. Personality and behavioural change after severe blunt head injury--a relative's view. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1983 Apr;46(4):336–344. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.46.4.336. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Cooper P., Osborn M., Gath D., Feggetter G. Evaluation of a modified self-report measure of social adjustment. Br J Psychiatry. 1982 Jul;141:68–75. doi: 10.1192/bjp.141.1.68. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Jennett B., Bond M. Assessment of outcome after severe brain damage. Lancet. 1975 Mar 1;1(7905):480–484. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(75)92830-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Jennett B., Murray A., Carlin J., McKean M., MacMillan R., Strang I. Head injuries in three Scottish neurosurgical units. Scottish head injury management study. Br Med J. 1979 Oct 20;2(6196):955–958. doi: 10.1136/bmj.2.6196.955. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Jennett B., Snoek J., Bond M. R., Brooks N. Disability after severe head injury: observations on the use of the Glasgow Outcome Scale. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1981 Apr;44(4):285–293. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.44.4.285. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Lezak M. D. Living with the characterologically altered brain injured patient. J Clin Psychiatry. 1978 Jul;39(7):592–598. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Lishman W. A. The psychiatric sequelae of head injury: a review. Psychol Med. 1973 Aug;3(3):304–318. doi: 10.1017/s003329170004959x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. London P. S. Some observations on the course of events after severe injury of the head. Hunterian Lecture delivered at the Royal College of Surgeons of England on12th January 1967. Ann R Coll Surg Engl. 1967 Dec;41(6):460–479. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. McCreadie R. G., Barron E. T. The Nithsdale schizophrenia survey. IV. Social adjustment by self-report. Br J Psychiatry. 1984 May;144:547–550. doi: 10.1192/bjp.144.5.547. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. McKinlay W. W., Brooks D. N., Bond M. R., Martinage D. P., Marshall M. M. The short-term outcome of severe blunt head injury as reported by relatives of the injured persons. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1981 Jun;44(6):527–533. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.44.6.527. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. McKinlay W. W., Brooks D. N. Methodological problems in assessing psychosocial recovery following severe head injury. J Clin Neuropsychol. 1984 Feb;6(1):87–99. doi: 10.1080/01688638408401199. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Oddy M., Humphrey M. Social recovery during the year following severe head injury. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1980 Sep;43(9):798–802. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.43.9.798. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Oddy M., Humphrey M., Uttley D. Stresses upon the relatives of head-injured patients. Br J Psychiatry. 1978 Dec;133:507–513. doi: 10.1192/bjp.133.6.507. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Oddy M., Humphrey M., Uttley D. Subjective impairment and social recovery after closed head injury. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1978 Jul;41(7):611–616. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.41.7.611. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Romano M. D. Family response to traumatic head injury. Scand J Rehabil Med. 1974;6(1):1–4. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Rosenbaum M., Najenson T. Changes in life patterns and symptoms of low mood as reported by wives of severly brain-injured soldiers. J Consult Clin Psychol. 1976 Dec;44(6):881–888. doi: 10.1037//0022-006x.44.6.881. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Snaith R. P., Ahmed S. N., Mehta S., Hamilton M. Assessment of the severity of primary depressive illness. Wakefield self-assessment depression inventory. Psychol Med. 1971 Feb;1(2):143–149. doi: 10.1017/s0033291700000064. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Snaith R. P., Bridge G. W., Hamilton M. The Leeds scales for the self-assessment of anxiety and depression. Br J Psychiatry. 1976 Feb;128:156–165. doi: 10.1192/bjp.128.2.156. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Thomsen I. V. The patient with severe head injury and his family. A follow-up study of 50 patients. Scand J Rehabil Med. 1974;6(4):180–183. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Weddell R., Oddy M., Jenkins D. Social adjustment after rehabilitation: a two year follow-up of patients with severe head injury. Psychol Med. 1980 May;10(2):257–263. doi: 10.1017/s0033291700044019. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Weissman M. M., Prusoff B. A., Thompson W. D., Harding P. S., Myers J. K. Social adjustment by self-report in a community sample and in psychiatric outpatients. J Nerv Ment Dis. 1978 May;166(5):317–326. doi: 10.1097/00005053-197805000-00002. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Wing J. K., Mann S. A., Leff J. P., Nixon J. M. The concept of a 'case' in psychiatric population surveys. Psychol Med. 1978 May;8(2):203–217. doi: 10.1017/s0033291700014264. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES