Patients' recovery after severe TBI is associated with their close relatives' interpersonal functioning: a 12-months prospective cohort study.

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between relatives' interpersonal functioning and patients' recovery after severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) across one year in Switzerland. : This prospective, multi-center cohort study is comprised of 188 adult patients with severe TBI (Abbreviated Head Injury Score > 3) and their relatives. Patients and relatives were assessed 3, 6, and 12 months post-injury. : Interpersonal functioning (Patient Competency Rating Scale for Neurorehabilitation, PCRS-NR), Physical and Mental Health related Quality of Life (HRQoL, SF-12), and overall functioning (Glasgow Outcome Comma Scale Extended, GOSE). : Multilevel analyses showed that relatives' interpersonal functioning was positively associated with a) patients' mental HRQoL ( =.002; slope = 2.95; β =.24) independently of age, b) a moderation time*patients' physical HRQoL among patients > 50 years of age ( <.045; slope = 2.63; β =.2) and c) patients' GOSE among younger individuals ( <.001; slope =.60; β =.23). : These findings show that health and overall functioning are linked with interpersonal dimensions. Thus, the interplay between relatives and patients with TBI needs to be further investigated.