Shame, self-discrepancies, and adjustment after acquired brain injury.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the relationship between shame and self-discrepancies and the extent that these factors predict adjustment after an acquired brain injury (ABI). METHOD: 62 participants with an ABI completed the following self-report qualitative questionnaires: the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Quality of Life after Brain Injury Scale, the Internalized Shame Scale, and the Head Injury Semantic Differential Scale - III. Data was analyzed using correlations, repeated ANOVA, and multiple regression models. RESULTS: A significant self-discrepancy was found between the present self and the pre-injury self, with the present self-being rated more negatively. This self-discrepancy was found to be positively correlated to shame, and these two variables were found to predict adjustment (emotional distress and quality of life). CONCLUSIONS: Shame and self-discrepancies both appear to play a crucial role in adjustment following an ABI. However, the relationship between shame and self-discrepancies needs more consideration to understand how these variables may interact to predict adjustment.

Peer support groups after acquired brain injury: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Peer support groups can be a way to obtain support, problem solve, and widen social networks. However, there has been no systematic literature review examining the evidence for the use of peer support groups after an acquired brain injury (ABI). OBJECTIVE: This review sought to systematically evaluate the evidence for (1) the psychosocial effectiveness, and (2) the experience of peer support groups in adults who had experienced ABI's. METHODS: The systematic literature search was conducted across the following four databases: PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, MEDLINE, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) in October 2019. The mixed methods appraisal tool was used to examine the quality of the research. RESULTS: 13 papers were included in this review. Limited evidence was found for the psychosocial effectiveness of peer support groups in ABI, although the experience of partaking in a peer support group was largely found to be positive. The benefits and helping factors of taking part in a peer support group can be summarized as: being connected, interacting with others, and providing and receiving support. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this review suggest that peer support groups could be a promising intervention to support individuals and promote adjustment following an ABI.

Perceptions of a clinical psychology support group for spinal injury.

BACKGROUND: A service evaluation was performed exploring nurses' perceptions of a clinical psychology facilitated peer support group in a spinal injury rehabilitation setting. AIMS: To determine whether staff found the meetings useful while, more broadly, to highlight the need to support and supervise nursing staff in psychological care appropriately. METHOD: A questionnaire was developed and distributed to the 30 members of staff who worked on the ward. Seventeen questionnaires were returned (57%). Data was analysed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: The meetings were viewed as a place to discuss issues, and a safe protected space to share stresses. Staff felt the meetings aided team cohesion and helped them share ideas and draw up clinical strategies. Meetings aided stress management and confidence building. Staff considered the meetings to increase their psychological awareness and understanding. CONCLUSION: Staff involved in the acute care and rehabilitation of spinal injured patients are consistently exposed to highly demanding and stressful clinical environments. Support meetings where staff can discuss patient and ward issues are invaluable. Other clinical nursing areas would benefit from similar support systems.

Age dependence of potentially toxic elements (Sb, Cd, Pb, Ag) in human liver tissue from paediatric subjects.

Toxic elements are present at low concentrations in the environment. This work was undertaken to investigate the age dependence of the liver content of selected elements in paediatric populations, as an index of internal exposure. Liver samples were collected at autopsy from 157 subjects, aged < 1 day to 6 years, as part of investigations on a possible role of Sb compounds in sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). In addition to Sb, the concentrations of Ag, Cd and Pb were also determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry on the remaining digest. Comparison of 95% confidence intervals of the median concentrations of the four elements suggested that there were no differences between the two categories of cause of death, SIDS or those who had died of an identified disease. Cadmium, lead and antimony median concentrations were lower than corresponding values observed in adult populations. Silver concentrations were significantly higher at birth and decreased with age. Cadmium levels were almost negligible in neonates and infants, but increased in older children. The finding of non-negligible concentrations of both Ag and Pb in neonatal liver provides further direct evidence that these elements cross the human placental barrier. The reported data, by far the largest collection observed in subjects less than 1 year old, are the result of exposure, during pregnancy and in early childhood, to present levels of these elements in the environment. They can serve as a reference to compare post-mortem values from individuals or groups of subjects in this age range when an exposure risk is suspected and to highlight trends in human exposure.