Spirituality Enhances Recovery from Brain Injury

By Rick Nauert PhD Senior News Editor
Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D.on June 29, 2011

A new study finds that a spiritual relationship helps victims of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) rehabilitate from their injury.

The study, by Brigid Waldron-Perrine, Ph.D., and Lisa J. Rapport, Ph.D., is published in the journal Rehabilitation Psychology.

Traumatic brain injury is a disruption of normal brain function after a head injury and affects 1.7 million Americans annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Sadly, the long-term effects of TBI include a heightened risk for mental and physical problems. These problems can significantly slow rehabilitation.

“Among healthy adults, religion and spirituality have shown strong association with improved life satisfaction and physical and mental health outcomes,” said Waldron-Perrine.

To expand knowledge on the effects of religion and recovery form TBI, Waldron-Perrine interviewed and completed neuropsychological tests on 88 individuals diagnosed with TBI victims, most of whom were male, African-American Christians.

Participants also completed a neuropsychological measure of their cognitive abilities. A significant other of each TBI victim also participated and reported on the injured individual’s functional status.

Waldron-Perrine found that most participants who reported higher levels of religious well-being (a connection to a higher power) had better emotional and physical rehabilitation outcomes.

Interestingly, public religious activities or practice and existential well-being – a sense that life has a purpose apart from any religious reference – did not have the same effect.

This “intriguing” finding, Waldron-Perrine said, may be due to the fact that TBI victims lack full control of their ability to participate in public religious practice.

“They often must rely on others for scheduling and transportation to social events, so their public religious participation does not wholly reflect their true use of religious resources,” she said.

As expected on the basis of previous studies, social support was related to positive physical and mental rehabilitation results. This, Waldron-Perrine said, is consistent with other research studies linking religious social support to positive health outcomes in other populations. But even when Waldron-Perrine adjusted for social support, religious well-being still stood as a unique and strong predictor of positive health outcomes in TBI patients.

“Individuals cope with the tools available to them, and perhaps especially for those with limited means and few alternatives, religion can take on great power as a psychosocial resource,” Waldron-Perrine said.

Source: Wayne State University

Related News Articles
-->Related Clinical Articles
-->

 

 

Advocacy and Policy, Brain and Behavior, Cognition, Featured, General, Health-related, LifeHelper, Medications, Memory and Perception, Mental Health and Wellness, Neuropsychology and Neurology, Personality, Psychology, Psychotherapy, Religion and Spirituality, Research, Stress -->

« News Index

The BrainWhat is Functional Magentic Resonance Imaging?Brain Imaging: A Technological Breakthough in the Assessment of PainTypes of Brain Imaging TechniquesResearchers Explain How We Learn by ObservationWhat is Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy?Treatment of Depression With rTMSUnraveling the Biology of EmotionsAreas of Research into Alzheimer’s Disease Recent NewsImagination Tied to MemoryDaytime Nap Can Help MemoryBrain Scans Study ESPSerotonin Tied to Optimism and Depression
 From Our News BureauBinge Drinking Linked With Brain Damage Study Details Three Kinds of Job Burnout Life History Contributes to Future Stress Sensitivity, Depression
Just Published...Do You Have a Positive Social Support System?The Illusion of ConfidenceAnxiety, Fire and Radioactive WasteBreaking Bad Food Habits
What's HotLady Gaga's Born This Way Music Video and Her Triumph Over ShameadvertisementMost Popular NewsBinge Drinking Linked With Brain Damage Study Details Three Kinds of Job Burnout Life History Contributes to Future Stress Sensitivity, Depression Love Me, Love My Cell Phone Support Program Helps Caregivers of Mentally Ill Cope Empathy Deficits Seen in Body's Response to Angry Faces 'Internet Addiction' on the Decline in College Students Sexual Health Linked to Self-Esteem, Empathy, Autonomy Cell Phone Can Improve Connection with Children Most Popular Blog PostsAn Epidemic of Bad Infographics: Depression The Illusion of Confidence Families Affected by Mental Illness Feel Little Support From Churches 10 Myths about Happiness Marsha Linehan: What is Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)? How to Spot a Narcissist Don't Have Enough Time? 7 Practical Steps to Try Marsha Linehan Acknowledges Her Own Struggle with Borderline Personality Disorder Pristiq versus Effexor XR Meditation for Slow Learners Subscribe to Our Weekly Newsletter

advertisement
Find a Therapist

Users Online: 3446
Join Us Now!
Local GuidesAll Guides
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
DC
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming


  #footer { height:220px; } #foot-mid { margin:0 0 0 40px; } Home • About Us • Advertise with Us • Contact Us
Privacy Policy • Terms of Use • Site Map • Disclaimer/Disclosure • Feeds

Download the Psych Central Toolbar

Copyright © 1992-2011 Psych Central. All rights reserved.
Site last updated: 29 Jun 2011

Psych Central Professional
Psych Central Answers
Psych Central Blog Network
Psych Central News
Tests & Quizzes
Sanity Score
Forums • NeuroTalk

ADHD
Anxiety
Bipolar
Depression
Schizophrenia
Psychotherapy

We comply
with the
HONcode
standard:
Verify here