A - 118 Disenfranchised Grief as a Part of Acquired Brain Injury Recovery: Role of the Feedback Session

Abstract Objective Disenfranchised grief is a response to events or a loss that society does not acknowledge, such as a loss of sense of self, opportunity, or one’s functioning. During the neuropsychological assessment process, this societal construct can often overlook the bereavement of one’s “old self,” which diminishes the opportunity for processing loss. This poster highlights the societal creation and further perpetuation of disenfranchised grief among individuals with ABI and neuropsychologists’ duty to name it in feedback sessions, igniting holistic recovery. Data Selection A literature review of peer-reviewed articles from 2011 to 2022 from PubMed and Google Scholar was conducted. Keywords include disenfranchised grief, acquired brain injury, neuropsychological feedback, brain injury, neuropsychological testing, stroke, and TBI. Data Synthesis The societal taboo surrounding non-death grief prevents individuals from processing this grief. Implications of unaddressed disenfranchised grief can include changes in one’s sense of self, withdrawal, feeling powerless, depression, and anxiety. Disenfranchised grief commonly emerges following acute rehabilitation. This can impact optimal cognitive performance during the assessment and daily functioning. Conclusions The social construction of the onset of disability perpetuates the inability to acknowledge grief following brain injury. Neuropsychologists can use the feedback session to initiate the healing process surrounding disenfranchised grief. Normalizing this aspect of recovery can allow individuals and their families to holistically understand changes after brain injury and acknowledge adapting to a new way of life. Future studies should explore how the cultural implications of disenfranchised grief impact conceptualization.