Quality of relationship between veterans with traumatic brain injury and their family members.

OBJECTIVES: The quality of the relationship between patients with many illnesses and their family members has been shown to affect the well-being of both. Yet, relationship quality has not been studied in traumatic brain injury (TBI), and giving and receiving aspects have not been distinguished. The present study of veterans with TBI examined associations between relationship quality and caregiver burden, satisfaction with caregiving, and veterans' competence in interpersonal functioning, rated by veterans and family members.

METHOD: In this cross-sectional study, 83 veterans and their family members were interviewed at home. Measures of quality of relationship, veterans' interpersonal competence and sociodemographics were collected for both, caregiver burden and satisfaction for family members only.

RESULTS: As predicted, veteran-rated Qrel /Giving was associated with family-rated Qrel /Receiving, and veteran-rated Qrel /Receiving with family-rated Qrel /Giving. Lower caregiver burden and higher caregiving satisfaction were associated with higher Qrel /Receiving scores but not with Qrel /Giving scores. Veterans' interpersonal competence was associated with total Qrel as rated by either veterans or family members.

CONCLUSIONS: Relationship quality should be included in family research in TBI, and giving and receiving aspects should be differentiated. Findings suggest that lower caregiver burden and greater satisfaction should be more achievable by increasing caregivers' sense of benefits received from the relationship.