The impact of storytelling in supporting the wellbeing and ability of family members to adjust after traumatic brain injury (TBI) is being investigated in a new study.
The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), the research partner of the NHS, has awarded £140,000 funding to conduct a study to determine whether storytelling – specifically, the ‘Life Thread’ approach – can support families.
TBI can be life-changing not just for a survivor, but for their family and friends too, and its impact far-reaching. Survivors can experience a range of physical, cognitive, behavioural and emotional changes, which can leave families struggling to adapt or know best how to cope – and support post-discharge from hospital can often be hard to access.
In this study, led by Dr Charlie Whiffin of the University of Derby, the potential of storytelling will be explored for families specifically.
Storytelling techniques can improve wellbeing and promote growth and have been used as a support mechanism in brain injury populations, but not their families. Therefore, a key outcome of this study will be to determine perceived benefits and help the researchers design a larger study to test whether these benefits can be measured.
“While there is growing recognition of the importance of family members in the recovery pathway for the injured person, there is not enough attention given to how brain injuries change the lives of the uninjured members,” says Dr Whiffin, associate professor of nursing.
“This study will consider if a storytelling approach can be used to help family members make sense of their experiences and promote positive adjustment post-TBI.”
In addition to her academic role, Dr Whiffin is also chair of Anchor Point, a special interest group driving change to improve the lives of families after brain injury.
She adds: “I am proud to have the support of Anchor Point on this project and hope this study will help drive the evidence base forward for this particularly vulnerable population.”
The study will begin in March 2023 and run for 18 months.
Alongside Dr Whiffin, the study is also led by Dr Fergus Gracey of the University of East Anglia; Dr Caroline Ellis-Hill of Bournemouth University; Dr Alyson Norman of the University of Plymouth, alongside two family members.
Commenting on the funding award, Dr Denise Baker, Pro Vice-Chancellor Dean of the College of Health, Psychology and Social Care at the University of Derby, said: “The College strongly believes that hearing from service users and carers can only strengthen our own and students’ understanding of the reality of Traumatic Brain Injury and its impact.
“We are delighted that the importance of this collaborative work has been recognised in this way.”
