Date of Submission

2017

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Department

Psychology

Department Chair

Robert A DiTomasso, PhD, ABPP

First Advisor

Bruce S. Zahn, Ed.D., ABPP

Second Advisor

Celine Thompson, PhD

Third Advisor

Karen Lindgren, PhD

Abstract

Brain injury represents a major public health issue in the United States, accounting for a largely underestimated figure of 2.5 million cases in 2010. The pervasive effects of this chronic medical condition contribute to a growing economic burden, as the physical, cognitive, behavioral, and emotional sequelae of brain injury demand long-term care for those with moderate-to-severe brain injuries. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently proposed new recommendations for improvements in monitoring the incidence of and research on brain injury. The goals of this public health initiative are to better inform health service delivery and ultimately improve quality of life for those affected, as well as their loved ones.

In addition to improved quality of life, community reintegration is a primary goal of brain injury rehabilitation. Engagement in rehabilitation is largely dependent upon an individual’s level of impairment, as well as other personal factors. For example, research examining the relationship between targeted interventions and community participation has established support for the protective effects of self-efficacy, or personal belief in one’s abilities to achieve a desired goal. Additional research on the importance of selfefficacy to psychological health has provided further support for the protective effects of this construct against depression and anxiety. Therefore, further research into the relationship between rehabilitation outcomes, psychological health, and self-efficacy is necessary to inform recommendations for improving health service delivery and quality of life for this vulnerable population.

The aim of the present study is to examine factors that may be related to self-efficacy in persons with moderate-to-severe brain injury who receive treatment at a longv term postacute brain injury program. The implications of this research include baseline assessment of self-efficacy in this sample that could potentially inform future staff training and overall clinical practice geared towards cultivating self-efficacy in persons with brain injury. The primary limitations of this study are its small sample size and constrained external validity. Despite these limitations, more research is necessary to understand the role of psychological protective factors in brain injury rehabilitation and to inform strategies for improved health service delivery and increased quality of life.

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