ABSTRACT
We would like to begin this chapter by asking you, the reader, to take some time to reflect upon what it is that brings a sense of meaning to your life. While several areas may have come to mind as sources of meaning in your life, it is likely that for most, if not all of us, relationships with significant others will feature high and large on our lists. In fact, research has shown that relationships with others are the most frequently reported source of life meaning across the lifespan (Baum and Stewart 1990; Delle Fave et al. 2013; De Vogler and Ebersole 1981, 1983; Emmons 2003; Hicks and King 2009; O’Connor and Chamberlain 1996, 2000). Unfortunately, we also know that it is this area of social relationships that can produce crucial and enduring challenges to people with
Introduction ...................................................................... 137 The Power of Social Relationships ................................. 139 A Symbolic Interactionist Perspective ........................... 140 The Concept of the Relational Self ................................. 143 Applying a Social-Relational Lens to TBI Rehabilitation .................................................................... 144 Conclusion ........................................................................154 References ..........................................................................154
acquired disability. This challenge is clearly illustrated in the case of acquired neurological injury and particularly traumatic brain injury (TBI), which we use in this chapter to demonstrate social-relational perspectives in rehabilitation.
