Evaluation of an Intervention Model for Family Crisis and Support

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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To learn more about how a family treatment program helps people after brain injury. Specifically, do families feel better and function better after going through the program, and do patients feel better and function better after going through the program.

Detailed Description
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To evaluate the efficacy of a structured outpatient family intervention program (BIFI) on family members' emotional well being, life satisfaction, needs, and family functioning; and to evaluate the impact of the BIFI on the emotional well being, life satisfaction, functional independence, vocational status, and neurobehavioral functioning of persons with acquired brain injury (ABI).

Official Title
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Evaluation of an Intervention Model for Family Crisis and Support (a Research Project Within the Traumatic Brain Injury Model System Grant)

Conditions
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Traumatic Brain Injury, Brain Injury, Chronic

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Brain Injury Family Intervention (BIFI)


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Family members/caregiver friends and persons with acquired brain injury (ABI) who are at least three months postinjury. ABI is defined as damage to brain tissue caused by stroke, aneurysm, anoxia, or an external mechanical force as evidenced by: loss of consciousness, post traumatic amnesia (PTA), objective neurological findings, or skull fracture. Exclusion Criteria: Families including individuals at imminent risk of psychiatric hospitalization, or in imminent danger of hurting themselves or others, as judged by the investigators. Individuals under 18 years of age.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Arms and Interventions

| Intervention/Treatment |
| --- |
|Behavioral: Brain Injury Family Intervention (BIFI)|The Brain Injury Family Intervention (BIFI) was developed over the last decade based upon considerable clinical experience and research review. The BIFI is a structured approach to helping families address their most common and salient issues, concerns, and challenges. The BIFI is implemented in five 90-minute sessions.|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Family Needs Questionnaire (FNQ) | The Family Needs Questionnaire (FNQ) is a widely used 40-item self-report questionnaire developed to measure family members' perceived needs after a family member sustains a brain injury. The items were designed to address diverse psychosocial and educational needs apparent in the acute and post-acute phases after injury. Family members rate the degree to which they perceive that each need has been met (not met, partly met, or met). A factor analytic investigation revealed six independent factors comprising six scales: Health Information, Emotional Support, Instrumental Support, Professional Support, Community Support Network, and Involvement with Care. The proportion of needs described as met (converted to a 10 point scale) was the primary family outcome measure. | pre-treatment, post-treatment, 3 mo. follow-up | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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brain injury, family treatment