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theses

Disability following traumatic brain injury (TBI) can impact community integration as well as employment post injury. Considering the impact unemployment can have on quality of life, recovery, and the economy, several targeted interventions have been identified in the literature. One successful evidence-based intervention is called resource facilitation (RF). RF is an intervention targeted at improving employment rates in the TBI community with resulting return to work rates well above established return to work rates published in the brain injury population. Even with the success of RF, variability in outcome in a concern. Identification of variables that contribute to positive or negative employment outcomes could help target at-risk patients earlier in the treatment protocol and influence clinical recommendations during treatment. This project was designed to identify the complex relationship between predictor variables and return to work after participation in the RF program. Although many models exist currently in the literature, none of the published models are appropriate for the RF population. Additionally, currently published models typically involve linear regression models making the relationships between predictor variables difficult to detect. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the variables identified in the literature and identify direct and indirect predictors of outcome. SEM allows for direct testing of mediating variables as well as proposed latent variables within one prediction model. A preliminary model based on theoretical considerations as well as empirical evidence was used as a starting point. Although the initially hypothesized model was not an appropriate fit for the current dataset, two statistically sound models were generated during post hoc testing. Upon successfully identifying the two prediction models, results indicate that brain injury survivors with childhood injuries cannot be modeled in the same sample as brain injury survivors injured as adults, suggesting a difference between rehabilitation patients and “habilitation” patients.

ETD_8769

Ph.D.

Includes bibliographical references

by Devan Parrott

doi:10.7282/T3FN19JZ

ETD doctoral

The author owns the copyright to this work.