Problem Solving Training for Care Partners of Adults With Traumatic Brain Injury

The PST intervention consists of six sessions that will follow a structured format based on the PST manual. In these sessions, the interventionist will first provide the TBI-specific education, introduce the participant to the PST steps, then help the care partner generate and select a problem to address first. Interventionist will facilitate the care partner's use of the ABCDEF steps of PST to develop a specific action plan to solve the problem. As problems are attempted or solved, the care partner will learn how to perform the steps on his/her own, thus acquiring self-management problem solving skills that will be applicable to future problems. The final session will include a review and generalization of the PST steps and progress made.

Participants will receive TBI-specific education alone through a workbook. It consists of educational modules for self-study, common sequelae of TBI, issues encountered by care partners, work and school concerns for those with TBI, and on navigating the rehab system and accessing resources. The modules consist of a brief introduction, key definitions, examples, resources, and a summary. Some chapters also include self-directed activities, such as worksheets or checklists. The investigators will provide a brief orientation to the workbook and include open-ended questions about the participants' need for clarification or questions of the education material. The last session will consist of an open discussion about expected problems that may arise post-discharge.