This paper examines defining features and principles of quality of life as discussed in the literature on disability. It is suggested that many features of such a model require examination and changes to some of our approaches to rehabilitation, and professional values. It is also argued that the concept has serious implications for research, and opens up new ways of viewing aspects of methodology. Finally, the article suggests that quality of life as formulated in the paper has implications beyond disability and its acceptance challenges policy and management practices as viewed within an economic rationalist framework.

This paper discusses the potential limitations, and barriers to acceptance, of qualitative research methodologies. Qualitative research has been dismissed for consisting of small unrepresentative samples that limit the generalisability of findings, for lacking reliability and validity, for providing analyses that mask the individual differences that it purports to highlight, and for being too subjective. It was argued that these criticisms have to be considered against a different set of criteria to those applied to quantitative research. Moreover, the rationale behind qualitative research can provide rehabilitation counsellors with a better understanding of living with disability. This paper seeks to encourage rehabilitation counsellors to (a) gain insight into the different perspectives of persons with disabilities; (b) develop their clinical or knowledge base; and (c) be self-reflexive and critically self-examine their interaction with clients.

This study sought the views of 22 Victorian rehabilitation counsellors (RC's) about what they do to try and engage reluctant clients, the behaviour such clients exhibit, whether RC's discuss the reluctance and the mandatory nature of participating in rehabilitation with their clients, and how RC's choose to respond to reluctance. RC's reported that reluctance was most often a result of clients' emotional adjustment difficulties, and that the most difficult clients to engage were those who were passively disengaged rather than those who were initially angry or hostile. Engagement relied on RC's uncovering the clients' own goals for participating in rehabilitation. Implications of the findings for practice, and the need for a model of client reluctance in rehabilitation are discussed.

The provision of care to a relative with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) has been shown to be distressing for the primary caregiver (usually the spouse or parent). Much research has examined factors which affect caregiver adjustment to brain injury. However, the impact of caregiver cognitions, in particular irrational beliefs, as a potential factor in poor adjustment, has received little if any attention in the TBI caregiving literature. This article provides a review of predictors of TBI caregiver adjustment and a discussion of the cognitive model and the impact of irrational beliefs on adjustment. As caregivers are central to the rehabilitation process, there is a need for research into irrational beliefs and TBI caregivers as well as the development of interventions which focus specifically on the caregiver's beliefs and perceptions of events.

Volunteer programs have been used to alter attitudes, provide long-term knowledge towards mental illness and increase the quality of life of consumers receiving volunteer services. Sixteen volunteers completed an 18-hour training program and in pairs worked with 11 consumers over 4 months. Sixteen volunteers completed training measures of knowledge and attitudes scales. Pre and post program quality of life and behavioural functioning measures were taken on 5 consumers. Volunteers maintained their knowledge of mental illness over 6 months and had significant increases in their comfort in interactions with people who have mental illness. Case managers, consumers and volunteers all reported high levels of satisfaction with the program but there were no significant changes in behavioural functioning or quality of life for consumers over 4 months of receiving volunteer support. High levels of client disability and the need for longer term follow-up were identified as factors needing to be addressed in future studies.