Wellness perception in persons with traumatic brain injury and its relation to functional independence

Objectives: To test the reliability and validity of a perceptual wellness m easure in persons after traumatic brain injury (TBI) and to determine wheth er a relation exists between functional independence and wellness perceptio ns in the same population. Design: Survey research. Setting: A private, residential brain injury program. Participants: A convenience sample of 49 patients (43 men, 6 women) with TB I whose mean age was 32.1 years (range, 18-61 yr) and mean time since injur y was 10.47 years (range, 1-21 yr). Main Outcome Measures: The Perceived Wellness Survey (PWS) assessed wellnes s. The PWS has 6 subscales measuring physical, psychologic, emotional, inte llectual, spiritual, and social wellness. The FIM (TM) instrument was used to measure functional status. Results: The mean PWS score (15.99) for the sample was comparable to publis hed samples of adults (mean, 15.31-16.51); however, the reliability of the composite score (alpha = .58) and the subscales (alpha = .32-.64) was less than that obtained in previous samples (composite alpha = 0.91; subscale al pha = .64-.81). The correlations between the PWS and the FTM scores were no t significant, Conclusions: The PWS in its composite form is a reliable measure for use wi th persons with TBI. The finding that perceived wellness and functional ind ependence were not related suggests that these constructs are unique and th us should both be measured. The measurement of perceptions will enable the provider to consider a client holistically and to develop programs that add ress quality of lire issues. Further, because perceptions influence behavio rs, understanding a person's perceptions in multiple dimensions may provide a useful and necessary framework for developing intervention programs that address behavioral and cognitive issues that are important to that person. (C) 2001 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine and the Americ an Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.