Advocacy Skills Training for Families Impacted by TBI

描述（由申请人提供）：在美国，有390万成年人因创伤性脑损伤（TBI）而残疾。这些人在社会、行为、身体和认知功能方面都有重大而永久性的改变。如果他们想获得必要的服务来解决创伤性脑损伤的影响，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，特别是在这个可获得的康复选择越来越少的时代。这个第一阶段的项目成功地为受创伤性脑损伤影响的家庭开发了一个交互式多媒体光盘，重点是有效的沟通技巧，用于倡导解决创伤性脑损伤成人社会行为的服务。第二阶段的开发将调整光盘材料以供互联网使用，并扩大内容，包括：(a)四项额外的宣传技能，(b)更多的关注领域（例如，身体/医疗问题、认知功能、社会心理问题、职业规划、社区融合和药物滥用/滥用），(c)根据家庭成员提供的支持程度为脑损伤患者定制信息的能力，以及(d)重复访问功能。此外，网络聊天室将提供社会支持。这个互动式多媒体（IMM）项目将为家庭成员提供关键技能培训，以倡导与创伤性脑损伤有关的服务。IMM格式的好处包括：已证明的有效性；低成本;个性化、自定进度的掌握学习；对用户进度进行客观跟踪；培训材料的可用性不受家庭繁忙日程的影响。CD-ROM产品的市场包括所有受创伤性脑损伤影响的成年亲属、非家庭照顾者和提供创伤性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.