Explain the ‘unexplainable’: A qualitative enquiry of the representations of the caregivers of brain-injured people

Huet Magali (1) , Lionel Dany (1) , Thémis Apostolidis (1)

1 LPS - Laboratoire de Psychologie Sociale

The aim of our research is to highlight the role of social representations of the traumatic brain-injured person in the adjustments made by caregivers in building and maintaining quality of care. Twenty-three semi-structured interviews were conducted with nursing assistants and medico-psychological assistants, working in a long-term care facility. The interviews were the subject of a thematic content analysis. The analysis shows the role of representations of the traumatic brain-injured person in the way caregivers explain behaviours and situations and in the orientation of their professional practices. In explaining the inexplicable, caregivers establish a more human relationship through individualized care.

Keywords: caregivers; disability; qualitative research; social representations; traumatic brain injury

Domains: Humanities and Social Sciences; Psychology

Huet Magali, Lionel Dany, Thémis Apostolidis. Explain the ‘unexplainable’: A qualitative enquiry of the representations of the caregivers of brain-injured people. Journal of Health Psychology, 2016. ⟨hal-01446122⟩