Neuropsychological intervention in the acute phase: a pilot study of emotional wellbeing of relatives of patients with severe brain injury.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This pilot study investigated the effects of acute neuropsychological intervention for relatives of patients with severe brain injury. METHODS: Participants were enrolled in an intervention group comprising 39 relatives, and a control group comprising 47 relatives. The intervention consisted of supportive and psycho-educational sessions with a neuropsychologist in the acute care setting. RESULTS: The intervention group completed self-report scales in the acute setting and after the intervention at admission to sub-acute rehabilitation. The control group completed the self-report scales only at admission to sub-acute rehabilitation. Outcome measures included selected scales from the Symptom Checklist Revised 90 (SCL-90-R), the Short Form 36 (SF-36), and a visual analogue quality of life scale. The intervention group showed a significant decrease in anxiety scores from the acute to the sub-acute setting (t =_2.70, p =_0.010, d = 0.30), but also significantly lower Role Emotional scores (t = _2.12, p =_0.043, d = _0.40). In the sub-acute setting, an analysis of covariance model showed a borderline significant difference between the intervention and the control group on the anxiety scale (p = _0.066, d = 0.59). CONCLUSION: Any effects of the acute neuropsychological intervention were limited. Further research is needed to explore the effects of different interventions in more homo-genous and larger groups of relatives.