ABSTRACT

Social isolation can be a consequence of acquired brain injury (ABI). Few studies have examined the relationship between social isolation and mental health after ABI. In this cross-sectional and case-control study, we compared 51 ABI survivors and 51 matched healthy controls on measures of social isolation (network size, social support and loneliness) mental health and mental health problems. We explored the relationship between structural, functional and subjective components of social isolation and examined whether they were associated with mental health outcomes. No group differences were found on size of the network and perceived social support. The ABI group exhibited marginally higher levels of loneliness. The ABI group presented higher levels of depression, lower levels of quality of life and emotional wellbeing. In both groups, perception of social support was inversely related to subjective experience of loneliness. The relationship between network size and loneliness was only significant in the ABI group. Only loneliness significantly predicted quality of life, emotional wellbeing, depression and anxiety in people with brain injury. The relationship between social isolation variables in ABI is discussed, as well as the theoretical and clinical implications of focusing on loneliness to improve mental health after brain injury.

摘要

社交孤立可能是后天性脑损伤 (ABI) 的结果。很少有研究探讨 ABI 后社会隔离与心理健康之间的关系。在这项横断面病例对照研究中，我们比较了 51 名 ABI 幸存者和 51 名匹配的健康对照者在社会隔离（网络规模、社会支持和孤独感）、心理健康和心理健康问题方面的措施。我们探讨了社会孤立的结构、功能和主观成分之间的关​​系，并检查了它们是否与心理健康结果相关。在网络规模和感知到的社会支持方面没有发现群体差异。ABI 组表现出略高的孤独感。ABI 组表现出较高的抑郁水平、较低的生活质量和情绪健康水平。在两组中，社会支持的感知与孤独的主观体验呈负相关。网络规模与孤独感之间的关系仅在 ABI 组中显着。只有孤独感能显着预测脑损伤患者的生活质量、情绪健康、抑郁和焦虑。讨论了 ABI 中社会隔离变量之间的关系，以及关注孤独感以改善脑损伤后心理健康的理论和临床意义。