This paper presents the results of a longitudinal psychosocial study o
f 22 cranial trauma patients and 14 stroke patients from the time prec
eding injury (using retrospective data), through a 4-5 month intensive
rehabilitation programme, to a follow-up 1 year after completion of t
he programme. Although the two groups of patients differed on several
demographic and medical characteristics, essentially similar patterns
for psychosocial decline following injury and improvement following re
habilitation could be observed. For both groups, the proportion in mar
ital or cohabitational relationships returned to pre-injury levels, an
d for both groups the proportion requiring assistance in their living
situation declined following rehabilitation, as did use of the health
services. Virtually all patients in both groups had been in employment
or undergoing education at the time of the injury, and although this
percentage declined in practice to a small minority of both groups pos
t-injury, there was a significant increase in the proportions working
or in education following the rehabilitation programme. Similarly, the
pattern of leisure-time activities in both groups declined post-injur
y and was restored following rehabilitation. Since both groups entered
the programme at over 2.5 years post-injury, these generally encourag
ing results seem less likely to reflect spontaneous recovery than a be
neficial effect of the programme itself.