Medical and psychosocial predictors of caregiver distress and perceived burden following traumatic brain injury.

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether caregivers' medical and psychiatric histories, coping style, and social support predict global distress and perceived burden.

DESIGN

Correlational, cohort study.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 114 caregivers of persons with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury, assessed 1 year postinjury.

MEASURES

Ratings of caregivers' medical and psychiatric history; Disability Rating Scale; Ways of Coping Questionnaire; Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support; Brief Symptom Inventory; and Modified Caregiver Appraisal Scale.

RESULTS

Caregivers' medical and psychiatric histories predicted global distress, after accounting for education, sex, income, and relationship, as well as disability of the person with injury. Increased use of escape-avoidance as a coping strategy was related to increased distress. Perceived burden was predicted by disability in the person with injury, use of escape-avoidance, and perceived social support.

CONCLUSIONS

Caregivers' preinjury functioning is more predictive of global distress, whereas the functioning of the person with injury is more predictive of injury-related burden. Caregivers' medical and psychiatric histories are important considerations when targeting interventions; global stress management strategies may be as important as assisting with injury-related issues.