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“If I knew what I was doing on Twitter then I would use it more”: Twitter experiences and networks of people with traumatic brain injury (TBI)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 June 2019

Melissa Brunner Open the ORCID record for Melissa Brunner [Opens in a new window] ,
Stuart Palmer ,
Leanne Togher ,
Stephen Dann  and
Bronwyn Hemsley
Melissa Brunner*
Affiliation:
Speech Pathology, Graduate School of Health, UTS, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
Stuart Palmer
Affiliation:
Melbourne Centre for the Study of Higher Education, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
Leanne Togher
Affiliation:
Speech Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Stephen Dann
Affiliation:
College of Business and Economics, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
Bronwyn Hemsley
Affiliation:
Speech Pathology, Graduate School of Health, UTS, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
*
*Corresponding author. Email: melissa.brunner@uts.edu.au; Twitter: @LissBEE_CPSP
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Abstract

Aim:

of this study was to examine the Twitter experiences and networks of six adults with cognitive-communication disability after a traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Method:

Using mixed methods, the study integrated: (a) quantitative analysis of Twitter networks using computational and manual coding of tweets; and (b) narrative analysis of in-depth interviews.

Results:

Diverse experiences were evident, with two experienced and four novice users of the platform. However, all reported feeling connected and included, and identified both positive and negative experiences in their use of Twitter. Developing a supportive network facilitated higher frequency of tweets and increased feelings of enjoyment and connectedness. All expressed a desire to continue using or learning to use Twitter but novices lacked support from rehabilitation professionals or experienced Twitter users, and relied instead on a “trial and error” approach.

Conclusion:

Proactive integration of Twitter use during rehabilitation after TBI is warranted to support safe, enjoyable, and meaningful use.

Keywords

Twittersocial networkstraumatic brain injurycognitive-communicationdisabilitycommunication disabilityrehabilitation
Type
Articles
Information
Brain Impairment , Volume 21 , Issue 1 , March 2020 , pp. 1 - 18
Copyright
© Australasian Society for the Study of Brain Impairment 2019 

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