Improving well-being after traumatic brain injury through volunteering: a randomized controlled trial.
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ABSTRACT: Objective
To evaluate the efficacy of a novel intervention facilitating volunteer activity to improve well-being in individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI).Design
Randomized two-arm controlled trial, with a wait-list control condition (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT#01728350).Setting
Community-based setting.Participants
Seventy-four community-dwelling individuals at least 1-year post TBI, who had completed inpatient or outpatient TBI rehabilitation.Interventions
A novel intervention, HOPE - Helping Others through Purpose and Engagement, involving orientation/training and a 3-month volunteer placement for the participant, along with training for community agencies regarding TBI.Main outcome measure(s
): Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS); Flourishing Scale (FS); Brief Symptom Inventory-18 (BSI-18); Scale of Positive and Negative Experience (SPANE); Purpose in Life subscale (one of six in the Ryff Scale of Psychological Well-Being - 54 item version).Results
There were significantly greater improvements in life satisfaction (SWLS) and self-perceived success (FS) in the intervention group compared to the control group. There were no significant treatment effects on the additional secondary measures of well-being, although they trended in a positive direction.Conclusions
This study supports our primary hypothesis that individuals who take part in a volunteer intervention will demonstrate greater psychological well-being in comparison to a control group.
SUBMITTER: Payne L
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8628307 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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