Interpersonal dynamics of traumatic brain injury within romantic relationships described in online forums
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 2934851 |
|---|---|
| Authors | L K Knobloch (0000-0001-9300-1536, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, corresponding author), Kirsten Pool (0000-0002-0787-6000, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 42 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 901-921 |
| Publication date | 2025-03-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Social and Personal Relationships (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0265-4075 • E-ISSN: 1460-3608 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1177/02654075241257457 |
| OpenAlex | W4400877050 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 3 |
| References cited | 44 |
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can have serious consequences for people's physical health and the quality of their romantic relationships. Less clear, however, are the interpersonal dynamics of couples navigating the aftermath of TBI. We used data scraping techniques to capture five years of posts submitted to online help-seeking forums, and we analyzed the resulting 349 single-spaced pages of data using codebook thematic analysis. Both TBI survivors and partners reported the focal themes of personality changes and relationship changes . TBI survivors emphasized a lack of understanding that led to grief and loss , relational uncertainty , and isolation . Partners reported poor treatment that culminated in negative emotions and relational uncertainty . The data showed notable similarities and differences between TBI survivors and partners. We interpret the results via four prominent theories of marriage and family relationships: ambiguous loss theory, relational turbulence theory, the theory of resilience and relational load, and family systems theory. Overall, our findings shed light on interpersonal dynamics after TBI and lay a foundation for future theoretical and clinical advances
Dynamics (music · Injury prevention · Interpersonal communication · Interpersonal relationship · Interpersonal violence · Medical emergency · Poison control · Psychoanalysis · Romance · Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health · Psychology · Social Psychology · Suicide and Self-Harm Studies · Traumatic Brain Injury Research
Measuring the sources and content of relational uncertainty
Dyadic Coping in Couples
Prenatal Care Use Among Women of Low Income
The Context and Process of Theory Development
Ambiguous Loss and Emotional Recovery After Traumatic Brain Injury
One size fits all? What counts as quality practice in (reflexive) thematic analysis
The social model of disability
Utilizing a Narrative Therapy Approach with Couples Who Have Experienced a Traumatic Brain Injury to Increase Intimacy
An evaluation of the directional relationship between head injuries and subsequent changes in impulse control and delinquency in a sample of previously adjudicated males
Relational Turbulence Theory
Shared Destiny
Interpersonal dynamics of traumatic brain injury within romantic relationships described in online forums
| Citations per year | 3 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2025 - 2026 (2) |
| Highly cited | No |