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Success in the workplace following traumatic brain injury: are we evaluating what is most important?

Success in the workplace following traumatic brain injury: are we evaluating what is most important?
Success in the workplace following traumatic brain injury: are we evaluating what is most important?
Purpose: Vocational outcome, and in particular full-time paid work, is considered an important indicator of successful rehabilitation following traumatic brain injury (TBI). However it has not been established that these outcomes adequately or accurately represent the values of the people with TBI. This paper describes a study exploring the experiences of individuals who attempted returning to work following TBI, with emphasis on factors that related to perceptions of 'success' or 'failure'.
Method: A phenomenological study, interviewing seven people with moderate to severe TBI was conducted. The interview data were analysed for themes relating to experiences of success or failure in the workplace. Community consultation provided additional perspectives in the interpretation and validation of results.
Results: The results of this study support in part the assumption that paid employment is indicative of success following TBI. Equally prevalent were findings that challenged this assumption, including situations where: (1) return to employment contributed to catastrophic personal events, (2) feelings of success were achieved even though paid employment was not, and (3) success in the workplace was associated with factors other than hours worked or pay earned.
Conclusions: This research suggests that the use of work placement as a measure of successful rehabilitation might misrepresent the perspective of individuals with TBI. A multi-factorial approach to evaluating vocational rehabilitation is recommended, which incorporates the subjective experience of work.
brain, brain injuries, brain injury, disabilities, disability, rehabilitation, traumatic brain injury, outcome, outcomes, community, research
0963-8288
290 - 298
Levac, William
ba2b3f6e-7052-4c0f-8fe7-180646430d6a
McPherson, Kath
5926c131-e68f-46f2-9ec3-70c2c4965d45
McNaughton, Harry
c40a1cdc-c9f8-4a68-b0f9-2262321d4690
Levac, William
ba2b3f6e-7052-4c0f-8fe7-180646430d6a
McPherson, Kath
5926c131-e68f-46f2-9ec3-70c2c4965d45
McNaughton, Harry
c40a1cdc-c9f8-4a68-b0f9-2262321d4690

Levac, William, McPherson, Kath and McNaughton, Harry (2004) Success in the workplace following traumatic brain injury: are we evaluating what is most important? Disability and Rehabilitation, 26 (5), 290 - 298. (doi:10.1080/09638280310001647615).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Purpose: Vocational outcome, and in particular full-time paid work, is considered an important indicator of successful rehabilitation following traumatic brain injury (TBI). However it has not been established that these outcomes adequately or accurately represent the values of the people with TBI. This paper describes a study exploring the experiences of individuals who attempted returning to work following TBI, with emphasis on factors that related to perceptions of 'success' or 'failure'.
Method: A phenomenological study, interviewing seven people with moderate to severe TBI was conducted. The interview data were analysed for themes relating to experiences of success or failure in the workplace. Community consultation provided additional perspectives in the interpretation and validation of results.
Results: The results of this study support in part the assumption that paid employment is indicative of success following TBI. Equally prevalent were findings that challenged this assumption, including situations where: (1) return to employment contributed to catastrophic personal events, (2) feelings of success were achieved even though paid employment was not, and (3) success in the workplace was associated with factors other than hours worked or pay earned.
Conclusions: This research suggests that the use of work placement as a measure of successful rehabilitation might misrepresent the perspective of individuals with TBI. A multi-factorial approach to evaluating vocational rehabilitation is recommended, which incorporates the subjective experience of work.

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More information

Published date: 2004
Keywords: brain, brain injuries, brain injury, disabilities, disability, rehabilitation, traumatic brain injury, outcome, outcomes, community, research

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 17951
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/17951
ISSN: 0963-8288
PURE UUID: a9d34d1f-0469-496f-9535-18736310ff36

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Date deposited: 23 Nov 2005
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 06:02

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Contributors

Author: William Levac
Author: Kath McPherson
Author: Harry McNaughton

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