FAMILY NEEDS AFTER BRAIN INJURY - A QUANTITATIVE-ANALYSIS

The Family Needs Questionnaire (FNQ) was administered to 119 family me mbers of patients with a primary diagnosis of brain injury. Patients h ad mild, moderate, or severe injuries and were in the acute and postac ute stages of injury. Relatives, including wives, mothers, fathers, an d children, rated 40 needs based on importance and the extent to which needs were met. A review of responses revealed that most needs were j udged as important, especially those pertaining to information and rea ssurance. The pattern of frequently reported unmet needs suggested tha t many family members felt misunderstood, isolated, and unsupported. I ncome and gender mere related to needs, but family education, age, and injury characteristics were not. Findings were consistent with previo us research on family needs and provided evidence that the FNQ has con tent validity.