FAMILY NEEDS AFTER TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY - A FACTOR-ANALYTIC STUDY OF THE FAMILY NEEDS QUESTIONNAIRE

The present investigation examined the empirical and theoretical valid ity of an instrument developed to assess family members' perceptions o f needs following the brain injury of a relative. The Family Needs Que stionnaire (FNQ) consists of 40 items reflecting commonly reported fam ily needs. The development of the items was based on the literature de scribing family reactions to brain injury and other medical disabiliti es. A principal-components factor analysis was executed based on the F NQ responses of 178 family members. A six-factor solution was selectio n as the best fit for the data, yielding the following independent sub scales: (1) Need for Health Information; (2) Need for Emotional Suppor t; (3) Need for Instrumental Support; (4) Need for Professional Suppor t; (5) Need for a Support Network; and (6) Need for Involvement with C are. Further analysis indicated at least adequate internal reliability for each scale. Overall, the measure appears to offer unique informat ion relevant to family members' needs after brain injury.