The Influence Of Religion And Spirituality On Rehabilitation Outcomes Among Traumatic Brain Injury Survivors

THE INFLUENCE OF RELIGION AND SPIRITUALITY ON REHABILITATIONOUTCOMES AMONG TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY SURVIVORSbyBRIGID WALDRON-PERRINEDecember 2010Advisor: Lisa. J. Rapport, Ph.D.Major: Psychology (Clinical)Degree: Doctor of PhilosophyThe long-term consequences of traumatic brain injury affect millions ofAmericans, many of whom report using religion and spirituality to cope. Little research,however, has investigated how various elements of the religious and spiritual beliefsystems affect rehabilitation outcomes. The present study sought to assess the use ofspecifically defined elements of religion and spirituality as coping resources in a sampleof traumatically brain injured adults. Furthermore, various mechanisms by which religionand spirituality may affect outcome were explored.The sample included 88 adults with brain injury from 1 to 20 years post injury and their knowledgeable significant others (SOs). Participants subjectively reported on theirreligious/spiritual beliefs and psychosocial resources in coping as well as their currentphysical and psychological status. Significant others reported objective rehabilitationoutcomes. The majority of the participants with brain injury were male (76%), African American (75%) and Christian (76%). The results indicate that public religious practice was not a unique predictor ofany outcome measures after accounting for demographic and injury-related