Establishing a person-centred framework of self-identity after traumatic brain injury: a grounded theory study to inform measure development

Date
2014
Authors
Levack, WM
Boland, P
Taylor, WJ
Siegert, RJ
Kayes, NM
Fadyl, JK
McPherson, KM
Supervisor
Item type
Journal Article
Degree name
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.
Abstract

Objective To develop a theoretically sound, client-derived framework to underpin development of a measure reflecting the impact of traumatic brain injury (TBI) on a person's self-identity.

Design Grounded theory, based on transcription of audio recordings from focus group meetings with people who have experienced TBI, analysed with constant comparative methods.

Setting 8 different urban and rural communities in New Zealand.

Participants 49 people (34 men, 15 women), 6 months to 36 years after mild-to-severe TBI.

Results The central concept emerging from the data was that of desiring to be or having lost a sense of being an integrated and valued person. The three main subthemes were: (1) having a coherent, satisfying and complete sense of oneself, (2) respect, validation and acceptance by others and (3) having a valued place in the world.

Conclusions This study reinforces the notion that change in self-identity is an important aspect of life after TBI, and provides information on what this concept means to people with TBI. In order to scientifically evaluate relationships between self-identity and other aspects of health (eg, depression, quality of life), and to test the effect of interventions to address problems with self-identity after TBI, a quantitative tool for evaluation of this construct is required. Themes from this research provide a foundation for the development of a measure of self-identity grounded in the language and experience of people with TBI.

Description
Keywords
Lived experience , Outcome , Qualitative research , Self-concept , Self-identity , Traumatic brain injury
Source
BMJ Open 2014;4:e004630. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2013-004630
Rights statement
This is an Open Access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 3.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/