Life Threads – TBI
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Working with the 'Life Threads' approach to support families after traumatic brain injury.
IRAS ID
329362
Contact name
Charlotte Whiffin
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 31 days
Research summary
Background: For those under 40 years of age TBI is a leading cause of disability. Traumatic brain injury damages the stability of the family system and negatively affects family functioning. There is very little support to help families to understand and come to terms with the substantial impact of TBI on themselves.
Storytelling approaches are emerging as helping the injured person after TBI. However, there is no empirical evidence for storytelling approaches with family members. This study will seek to understand if a specific approach to storytelling (the ‘Life Threads' approach) can support processes of family well-being and adjustment post-TBI.
Research question: Does narrative storytelling, through the 'Life Threads' approach, support processes of family well-being and adjustment post-Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)?
Aim: To understand the clinical potential of storytelling through the 'Life Threads' approach and gather the information required to plan a feasibility randomised control trial.
Methods: This study will adopt a qualitative methodology. Up to twenty family members of relatives who have sustained TBI at least 2 years prior will be recruited from the East and West Midlands. Participants will first complete a focus group to introduce the storytelling approach and related study materials. We will then ask participants to work with the study materials to construct their story of TBI and share this during an individual follow-up interview. We will evaluate the acceptability and perceived usefulness of this approach to storytelling in a second, and final focus group. We will use thematic analysis, to make sense of participant experiences and determine if and how engaging with storytelling has led to any perceived benefits.
Anticipated Impact: This study will be amongst the first to provide empirical evidence of the possible acceptability and usefulness of the 'Life Threads' approach to support family members post-TBI.
REC name
East Midlands - Nottingham 1 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/EM/0185
Date of REC Opinion
4 Sep 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion