Addressing Uncertainty and Stigma in Social Relations Related to Hidden Dysfunctions Following Acquired Brain Injury

Scandinavian Journal of Disability Research

卷:20

Inger Hellem¹  Kjersti Eide²  Siri Ytrehus³  Georg Førland³ 

[1] Centre of Diakonia and Professional Practice, VID Specialized University, Oslo;

[2] Department of Rehabilitation, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger Norway and Regional Centre of Habilitation and Rehabilitation in Western Norway, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen;

[3] Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences;

关键词: Social relations;    Acquired brain injury;    Hidden dysfunctions;    Cognitive deficits;    Stigma;    Uncertainty;   

DOI  :  10.16993/sjdr.24

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

The aim was to elucidate the experiences of people with mild to moderate acquired brain injury to learn how hidden dysfunctions influence their interactions in different social relations. A focus group of four sessions with the same five informants was conducted and analysed using qualitative content analysis. The analysis revealed one main theme: the dysfunctions created hidden challenges and uncertainty in the informants’ encounters with others. The main theme was illustrated by five sub-themes: uncertainty in encounters with others, an additional burden of being misunderstood, little consideration for hidden dysfunctions at work, little consideration for hidden dysfunctions from health and social services, and different coping strategies in encounters with others. The results emphasize the informants’ uncertainty in unfamiliar situations while adapting to changes in their functioning and addressing additional challenges due to the invisibility, unpredictability and stigmatization of their reduced functioning and to others’ ignorance regarding hidden dysfunctions.

【 授权许可】

Unknown