Family members' and friends' reports after standard and intensive group treatment for social communication difficulties following acquired brain injury - a mixed method approach

Objective: To examine family members/friends' perception of change following standard and intensive group interactive structured treatment (GIST) for persons with social communication difficulties (SCDs). Methods: A parallel mixed methods design combining data from questionnaires, the Goal Attainment Scale, and interviews. Participants: Forty-nine adult (>18 years) family members/friends (69.4% female) of persons with SCDs and acquired brain injury (ABI) (cohabitating partner, 53.1%; other relatives, 30.6%; friends, 16.3%). Intervention: Standard GIST consisted of 12 weekly outpatient sessions (2.5 h). Intensive GIST consisted of 4 weeks of inpatient rehabilitation (2 x 3 days/week, 2 x 4 days/week). Both treatments included 3- and 6-month follow-ups. Main outcome measures: Quantitative measures (n = 49) included the following informant reports: Latrobe Communication Questionnaire (LCQ), Social Communication Skills Questionnaire-Adapted (SCSQ-A), Behavior Rating Inventory for Executive Functions-Adult version (BRIEF-A), and Goal Attainment Scale. The qualitative measure (n=9) was an interview performed at 6-month follow-up. Results: Converging results were found, suggesting a perceived positive change over time for both standard and intensive GIST, with no substantial differences reported between the treatments. Conclusions: Family members/friends reported improved social communication skills of the persons with SCDs following standard and intensive GIST. However, the integration of data showed the complexity of assessing SCDs and the need for further investigation.