Gauvin-Lepage, J. (2007) Perceptions of adolescents, their parents and professionals with regards to social inclusion of adolescent victims of moderate traumatic brain injuries. Master’s thesis, Faculty of Nursing, Université de Montréal. (In French)

This exploratory descriptive qualitative study explores the perceptions of adolescents, their parents and professionals involved as to the social inclusion of adolescents who have suffered a moderate traumatic brain injury (TBI), particularly with regard to recovering their social roles once discharged from the rehabilitation centre. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model (1979, 1986), adapted by Lefebvre & Levert (2005) for TBI clientele, is used as the conceptual framework. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with three adolescents who had suffered a moderate TBI, and with their parents. In addition, a focus group was conducted with four professionals. The results show that the perceptions of adolescents who have suffered a moderate TBI, as well as their parents’, touch different aspects of their life, such as the adolescent as a person, the family, friends, the environment, school and leisure activities. We indeed noted a great number of repercussions, which facilitate and sometimes limit the social inclusion of a moderate TBI adolescent. The professionals share the same perceptions in general as them. However, the professionals add certain aspects that did not come up in interviews with the moderate TBI adolescents and their parents. The results of this study should enable health professionals to better understand the social inclusion experienced by these people. They should also offer professionals guidelines for them to better support the social inclusion of TBI adolescents and help the families get through this difficult situation.