Psychosocial difficulties, including changed relationships are among the most pervasive and concerning issues following stroke. This study aimed to collate and thematically analyse qualitative literature describing the experience of close personal relationships from the perspective of stroke survivors.

Using a scoping review methodology, four databases (CINAHL/EBSCO, MEDLINE/Pubmed, Embase, Psychinfo) were systematically searched, yielding 3100 citations. Following exclusion of duplicates and screening against inclusion criteria at title/abstract and full text levels, 53 articles were included in the review. Data were charted and thematically analysed.

While research has increased since 2000, longitudinal designs are few. Four overarching themes and 12 subthemes were identified. ‘Social disruption’ described changing social worlds, lost social opportunities and shrinking networks. ‘Changed relationships’ included changed family and spousal relationships and changed parenting relationships. The third theme ‘relationships help’ highlighted positive aspects including belonging, support and a life worth living. The final theme was ‘coping with an altered social world’ and described adjustment and emotional responses.

Relationships are an important aspect of life post stroke but are subject to changes and challenges. This article brings together a breadth of qualitative data to describe lived experiences. Further research, in particular, longitudinal research is required.

To describe and analyze educational and post-high school participation of individuals who sustained an acquired brain injury (ABI) during childhood and participated in a state-wide school-based brain injury support program, BrainSTEPS in Pennsylvania (BrainSTEPS).

Retrospective analysis of programmatic information and data collected through electronic and phone surveys during a follow-up survey for a statewide, school-based, school consultation program for students with ABI.

Caregivers reported on 190 individuals with ABI who participated in Pennsylvania’s BrainSTEPS Program.

Individuals post-ABI who participated in the BrainSTEPS were most likely to have experienced a mild ABI in high school due to sports. Post-injury, students were most likely to be enrolled in regular education, have graduated high school, pursued four-year college education and be attending post-secondary education and living with family. Additional significant relationships were not reported within the concussion or moderate-severe traumatic brain injury subgroups. Significant relationships for educational outcomes included higher likelihood of regular educational placement at the time of referral given an older grade at injury and regular educational placement before injury. For post-high school outcomes, a younger age at survey was associated with current attendance in post-secondary education, compared to other vocational options.

Individuals with a history of ABI before school age and during primary and secondary education present with heterogeneous educational and post-high school outcomes. A greater breadth of measures of formal and informal educational and vocational supports and post-high school attainment should be implemented to accurately capture the needs and outcomes of these students to inform supports and services.

This research adds to scarce literature regarding adolescent experiences of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Retrospective accounts of young adults who had sustained a TBI in adolescence were analysed to explore the perceived impact this had on their lives and forming identities during this important developmental stage.

Thirteen adults (aged 20–25 years; mean 23 years) who sustained a mild or moderate TBI during adolescence (i.e. aged 13–17 years at injury), approximately 7.7 years (range = 6.7–8.0 years) prior, participated in the research. Semi-structured individual interviews, analysed using thematic analysis, explored participants’ experiences following their TBIs.

Thematic analysis of interview data produced two categories of themes: (1) Impacts on Important Areas of Life, which included: schoolwork suffered, career opportunities became limited, struggling with work and missing out socially; and (2) Impacts on Identity: with themes including feeling ‘stupid’, feeling self-conscious, loss of social identity and being dependent.

TBI sustained during adolescence can have broad impacts on important areas of life and on developing identity.

The objective of this preliminary study was to investigate the interaction between working memory and social cognition in adolescents and young adults with traumatic brain injury (TBI). It was hypothesized that participants with or without TBI would better recognize social information when working memory or social cognitive load was low and that adolescents and young adults with TBI would be more affected by increased cognitive demand than their uninjured peers.

In this experimental study, eight adolescents and young adults with complicated mild-severe TBI (aged 14–22 years) and eight age- and sex-matched typically developing (TD) adolescents completed computer-based n-back tasks requiring recognition of either face identity or facial affect, with 0-back, 1-back and 2-back conditions.

The TBI group had lower scores overall than the TD group, and scores for both groups were lower for affect recognition than identity recognition. Scores for both groups were lower in conditions with a higher working memory load. There was a significant group by working memory interaction, with larger group differences in high-working memory conditions.

Adolescents and young adults with TBI are at risk for social cognitive impairments and the ability to recognize affect may be influenced by working memory demands.

To investigate the experiences of significant others when their loved one with a severe acquired brain injury (ABI) is being discharged from an ABI-specific rehabilitation unit.

Significant others of loved ones with an ABI participated in interviews close to their loved ones being discharged from inpatient ABI rehabilitation.

Semi-structured interviews were conducted, and thematic analysis applied. Additionally, the drawing method was also used which involved participants drawing what it was like for them as their loved one was going home. Image analysis was then combined with the interview data.

Eight significant others participated in interviews on discharge and completed a drawing describing their experience. Five themes were identified (Change, Mixed feelings, Support of family and friends, Journey and Staff interactions).

The experience of having a loved one with a severe ABI in rehabilitation is an emotional event. Compassionate communication, consistency of information and thorough discharge planning practices were cornerstones to enhancing the experience of significant others, empowering them to undertake their new role.

Attention and memory deficits are common following paediatric acquired brain injury (ABI). However, there are few evidence-based interventions to improve these domains and benefit the everyday life of children post-injury. The Amsterdam Memory and Attention Training for children (Amat-c) has been translated from Dutch to English and shown to improve attention and memory skills in children following ABI. This protocol describes a study to expand accessibility of the program by using online, clinician-supported delivery with children post-ABI.

The study is a randomized controlled trial. Participants will be 40 children aged 8–16 a minimum of one-year post-ABI. Participants in the treatment group will complete 18 weekly sessions of the Amat-c program with weekly online clinician support. Participants in the active-control group will be administered ABI psychoeducation via a booklet for parents, with weekly online clinician contact. Attention and memory will be assessed at three time points up to six months post-intervention.

Analysis will be repeated measures multivariate planned comparisons; using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (IBM SPSS Statistics) General Linear Model procedure will compare pre- and post-intervention and six-month follow-up outcomes.

If shown efficacious in improving attention and memory, our team will then take a key role in implementing Amat-c into clinical care.