Problem Solving Training for Care Partners of Adults With Traumatic Brain Injury

Importance: The chronic consequences of TBI are established, but ongoing support for adults with TBI living in the community is limited. This puts undue burden on care partners, particularly during the transition from hospital to home. It often leads to adverse consequences among care partners, such as emotional distress and increased substance abuse. Currently, there are no evidence-based interventions for care partners of adults with TBI to prepare them for this role. Problem Solving Training (PST) is an evidence-based, self-management approach with demonstrated efficacy for care partners of individuals with disabilities, but it has not been delivered or evaluated during inpatient rehabilitation. Aims: Aim 1): To assess the feasibility of providing PST to care partners of adults with TBI during the inpatient rehabilitation stay; Aim 2) To assess the efficacy of PST + education vs education alone for improving caregiver burden, depressive symptoms, and coping skills Method: The investigators will conduct a randomized control trial of PST + Education vs Education alone during the inpatient rehabilitation stay of individuals with TBI. The investigators will enroll 172 care partners and conduct baseline assessment, with follow-up assessment at 1 month and 6 months post-discharge. For Aim 1, the investigators will measure number of sessions of PST completed and care partner satisfaction. For Aim 2, the investigators will compare differences in PST+Educaion vs. Education alone in measures of caregiver burden, depressive symptoms, and coping skills at 1-month and 6-months post-discharge. Conclusion: The investigators anticipate that care partners will be able to complete a minimum of 3 sessions during the inpatient rehabilitation stay and that PST + Education will be more effective than Education alone for reducing caregiver burden and depressive symptoms and improving positive coping among care partners. PST is an evidence-based, self-management approach with a strong