A Mental Minute: A Qualitative Exploration of Work-Related Stress in Brain Injury Rehabilitation Professionals

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Degree type
Doctor of Social Work (DSW)
Graduate group
Counseling and Human Services
Discipline
Subject
brain injury rehabilitation professionals
burnout
work-related stress
compassion fatigue
qualitative research
grounded theory
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Social Work
Funder
Grant number
License
Copyright date
Distributor
Related resources
Contributor
Abstract

Work-related stress is a concern for brain injury rehabilitation professionals, and several research studies concluded this leads to burnout. There is limited research to identify what about working in brain injury rehabilitation increases the risk of work-related stress. This qualitative study utilized semi-structured interviews to explore what about working in brain injury rehabilitation is difficult, how brain injury rehabilitation professionals experience stress and what strategies professionals utilize to reduce stress. Results of this study suggest the lack of funding and resources, the nature of brain injury as a lifelong disability, and the arduous and lengthy rehabilitation process to be the most difficult aspects for professionals working in the brain injury rehabilitation field. Brain injury rehabilitation professionals identified anosognosia, poor insight, to be the most stressful cognitive deficit to treat. Frustration was expressed in regards to the challenge of balancing the completion of administrative duties with providing quality clinical care to survivors with brain injuries. Brain injury rehabilitation professionals experience the effects of work-related stress in both their work environments and in their personal lives. Brain injury rehabilitation professionals noted the importance of collaborating on an interdisciplinary team and utilizing their peers and supervisors for support when faced with stressful situations. Additionally, the term compassion fatigue appears to be the most relevant term to describe the nature of work-related stress experienced by brain injury rehabilitation professionals.

Advisor
Andrea Doyle, PhD
Casey Bohrman, PhD
Tessa Hart, PhD
Date of degree
2016-05-16
Date Range for Data Collection (Start Date)
Date Range for Data Collection (End Date)
Digital Object Identifier
Series name and number
Volume number
Issue number
Publisher
Publisher DOI
Journal Issue
Comments
Recommended citation