Family Forward: a social work clinical trial promoting family adaptation following paediatric acquired brain injury

ABSTRACTObjective: To test the efficacy of a family intervention Family Forward in promoting early adaptation following a child’s acquired brain injury (ABI).Research design: Prospective, sequential comparison group design.Methods and procedures: Families of children (n = 47) diagnosed with ABI received Family Forward (n = 25): two family counselling sessions plus optional multi-family group session per week or Usual Care (n = 22) during their child’s inpatient rehabilitation admission. Family adaptation outcomes were measured using Family Assessment Device (FAD-GF) and Family Management Measure (FAMM). Relationships between family psychosocial risk, social work interventions, and family adaptation outcomes were explored.Main outcomes and results: The Family Forward group endured longer hospital admissions (FF M = 56.4 days SD 46.1; p = 0.029), rehabilitation admissions (FF M = 33.3 days SD 29.0; p = 0.019) and reported poorer functioning pre-intervention FAD-GF (FF M = 1.626 SD = 0.391; UC M = 1.491 SD 0...