Advocacy Skills Training for Families Impacted by TBI

描述(申请人提供)：在美国，有390万成年人因创伤性脑损伤(TBI)而致残。这些人生活在社会、行为、身体和认知功能的重大和永久性变化中。如果他们要获得应对脑外伤影响所需的服务，家庭需要成为有效的倡导者。然而，脑损伤对家庭的重大影响使他们没有能力倡导服务，特别是在这个康复选择减少的时代。这一第一阶段项目成功地为受脑外伤影响的家庭开发了一张交互式多媒体光盘，重点是有效的沟通技能，用于倡导解决成人脑外伤患者社会行为的服务。第二阶段的开发将使光盘材料适应互联网使用，并扩大内容，以包括：(A)四项额外的宣传技能；(B)其他关注领域(例如，身体/医疗问题、认知功能、心理社会关切、职业规划、社区融合和药物滥用/误用)；(C)根据家庭成员向脑损伤患者提供的支持程度定制信息的能力；以及(D)回访功能。此外，一个基于网络的聊天室将提供社会支持。这一交互式多媒体(IMM)计划将为家庭成员提供必要的关键技能培训，以倡导与TBI相关的服务。IMM格式的好处包括：证明有效；低成本；个性化、自定进度的掌握学习；客观跟踪用户的进展情况；无论家庭日程如何繁忙，都可以获得培训材料。CD-ROM产品的市场包括所有受成年亲属脑损伤影响的家庭、非家庭照顾者和提供脑损伤相关服务的康复专业人员。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): In the United States, there are 3.9 million adults disabled as the result of traumatic brain injury (TBI). These people live with significant and permanent alterations in social, behavioral, physical, and cognitive functioning. If they are to obtain the services that are necessary to address the effects of TBI, families need to be effective advocates. However, the significant impact of brain injury on families leaves them poorly equipped to advocate for services, especially in this era of shrinking availability of rehabilitation options. This Phase I project successfully developed an interactive multimedia CD-ROM for families affected by TBI, focusing on effective communication skills used to advocate for services to address social behavior in adults with TBI. Phase II development will adapt the CD-ROM materials for Internet use and expand content to include: (a) four additional advocacy skills, (b) additional areas of concern (e.g., physical/medical issues, cognitive functioning, psychosocial concerns, vocational planning, community integration, and substance abuse/misuse), (c) the ability to tailor information by degree of support provided by the family member to the individual with brain injury, and (d) a repeat-visit function. In addition, a web-based chat room will provide social support. This interactive multimedia (IMM) program will provide family members training in key skills needed to advocate for TBI-related services. The benefits of the IMM format include: proven effectiveness; low cost; individualized, self-paced mastery learning; objective tracking of the users' progress; and availability of training materials regardless of busy family schedules. The market for the CD-ROM product includes all families impacted by the TBI of their adult relative, non-family caregivers, and rehabilitation professionals providing TBI- related services.