An Investigation of Change in the Lives of Spouses of Amnestic Individuals

• Main Author: Belfry, Sandra
• Other Authors: Schneider, Margaret
• Language: en_ca
• Published: 2013
• Subjects: Spousal Caregivers; Spouses; ABI; TBI; role transitions; stress; caregiving; narrative inquiry; 0621; 0622; 0633
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1807/43483

The purpose of the present study was to explore the ways that spouses of persons with ABI experience a process of change in roles, routine, and overall lifestyle and the subsequent implications for their support needs. The present study used a qualitative narrative inquiry methodology to examine the process of the experiences of this population of spouses. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 spouses, each of whom was engaged in a heterosexual relationship. There were 10 female and five male participants whose ages ranged from 40 to 61. Twelve of the participants were formally married, and three were in a common law relationship. In the interviews, the participants were asked about the changes in their lives after the onset of their spouses’ brain injuries. The data analysis was informed by narrative inquiry with attention paid to the structure of the participants’ stories. A three phase trajectory of caregiving emerged from the analysis which provided details regarding the process of change in the spousal caregiving role and how various role transitions within this role were intertwined with stressors and other feelings. The research highlighted three phases of caregiving including an Embryonic, Immersed and Modified Caregiver phase. The findings were theoretically important for identifying: how these spouses situate themselves within role transitions; coping strategies; various support needs; and future directions for research in this area.