Rehabilitation psychology
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Rehabilitation psychology · Aug 2009
ReviewAssessment and diagnosis of mild traumatic brain injury, posttraumatic stress disorder, and other polytrauma conditions: burden of adversity hypothesis.
Military personnel returning from Iraq and Afghanistan have been exposed to physical and emotional trauma. Challenges related to assessment and intervention for those with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and/or history of mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) with sequelae are discussed, with an emphasis on complicating factors if conditions are co-occurring. Existing literature regarding cumulative disadvantage is offered as a means of increasing understanding regarding the complex symptom patterns reported by those with a history of mild TBI with enduring symptoms and PTSD. ⋯ The importance of early screening for both conditions is highlighted. In addition, the authors suggest that current best practices include treating symptoms regardless of etiology to decrease military personnel and veteran burden of adversity.
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Rehabilitation psychology · Aug 2009
ReviewTraumatic brain injury, polytrauma, and pain: challenges and treatment strategies for the polytrauma rehabilitation.
Chronic pain conditions are common sequelae of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Unfortunately, the incidence of TBI among personnel deployed for Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) is significant, and there is growing evidence that ongoing pain, particularly headaches, will be a primary concern for these individuals. ⋯ The available data signal the need for the incorporation of early and aggressive pain management strategies into existing treatment models. Challenges to providing effective pain management for OEF/OIF veterans are numerous and include comorbid cognitive, medical, and emotional impairments that complicate readjustment to civilian life. It is likely that the problem of polytrauma pain and associated comorbid conditions such as posttraumatic stress disorder and postconcussive syndrome will require the development of integrated approaches to clinical care which bridge traditional subspecialty divisions. A proposed model of treatment is presented.
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Rehabilitation psychology · Aug 2009
ReviewPost-acute polytrauma rehabilitation and integrated care of returning veterans: toward a holistic approach.
Throughout the history of war, exposure to combat has been associated with clusters of physical and psychological symptoms labeled in various ways, from "hysteria" to "shell shock" in World War I to "polytrauma" in Operations Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Iraqi Freedom (OIF). ⋯ A conceptualization of rehabilitation recognizing a final common pathway of functional disability and suffering is proposed, and both systematic and treatment-specific aspects at the core of a veteran-centered holistic approach are discussed.
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Rehabilitation psychology · Aug 2009
The relationship between employment-related self-efficacy and quality of life following traumatic brain injury.
This study examines the relative contribution of employment-related and general self-efficacy to perceptions of quality of life (QoL) for individuals with traumatic brain injury. ⋯ These findings highlight the importance of including subjective appraisals of employment, such as perceived self-efficacy at the workplace, in assessing QoL and successful return to work following TBI.