TY - JOUR

T1 - Who are relatives? Young adults, relatives and professionals’ perceptions of relatives during the rehabilitation of young adults with a severe acquired brain injury

AU - Bystrup, Mette Ryssel

AU - Aadal, Lena

AU - Pallesen, Hanne

AU - Larsen, Kristian

AU - Hindhede, Anette L.

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - PurposeThis paper explores the perception of “relatives” during the rehabilitation of young adults with severe acquired brain injury (SABI).MethodsThis longitudinal qualitative study followed eight young adults with a SABI from hospital discharge to a year and a half after discharge. The design encompassed professional records, interviews, and surveys, including a name generator list completed by the young adults and focus group interviews with both their families and professionals. We apply a sociological theoretical framework concerning friendship, and we employ social network analysis (SNA) methodology to capture, visualise, and analyse the young adults’ significant social relations.ResultsSocial relations engaged as relatives during rehabilitation are to a large extent determined by the perceptions of professionals and the parents of the young adult. These perceptions contain a limited number of social relations, with priority given to biological and juridical ties. This might reflect the reduced social support available for the young adult, who initially had a much larger social network.ConclusionThe authors suggest a professional rethinking of who “relatives” are as well as considering these social ties as dynamic.Implications for rehabilitationRehabilitation professionals must be aware of and pay attention to differing perceptions that exist as to who qualifies as significant social relations in order to reconsider the practical implementation of relative involvement.The perception of who relatives are during the rehabilitation process should be reconsidered and extended to include who the young adult perceive as significant social relations.Relatives are not a fixed entity and should be considered dynamically throughout the rehabilitation process.Social relations of the young adult must to a larger extent be considered during rehabilitation to prevent social isolation in the long run.

AB - PurposeThis paper explores the perception of “relatives” during the rehabilitation of young adults with severe acquired brain injury (SABI).MethodsThis longitudinal qualitative study followed eight young adults with a SABI from hospital discharge to a year and a half after discharge. The design encompassed professional records, interviews, and surveys, including a name generator list completed by the young adults and focus group interviews with both their families and professionals. We apply a sociological theoretical framework concerning friendship, and we employ social network analysis (SNA) methodology to capture, visualise, and analyse the young adults’ significant social relations.ResultsSocial relations engaged as relatives during rehabilitation are to a large extent determined by the perceptions of professionals and the parents of the young adult. These perceptions contain a limited number of social relations, with priority given to biological and juridical ties. This might reflect the reduced social support available for the young adult, who initially had a much larger social network.ConclusionThe authors suggest a professional rethinking of who “relatives” are as well as considering these social ties as dynamic.Implications for rehabilitationRehabilitation professionals must be aware of and pay attention to differing perceptions that exist as to who qualifies as significant social relations in order to reconsider the practical implementation of relative involvement.The perception of who relatives are during the rehabilitation process should be reconsidered and extended to include who the young adult perceive as significant social relations.Relatives are not a fixed entity and should be considered dynamically throughout the rehabilitation process.Social relations of the young adult must to a larger extent be considered during rehabilitation to prevent social isolation in the long run.

U2 - 10.1080/09638288.2022.2072959

DO - 10.1080/09638288.2022.2072959

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 35559686

VL - 45

SP - 1655

EP - 1666

JO - Disability and Rehabilitation

JF - Disability and Rehabilitation

SN - 0963-8288

IS - 10

ER -