ABSTRACT
The term compensation is commonly used in reference to the process of offsetting a deficiency or disadvantage in one area by emphasizing a strength or advantage in another. Self-regulatory compensation includes the psychological and behavioural mechanisms by which an individual attempts to make up for some negative internal or external event by creating a positive change in the self. The brain of the injured individual compensates for the loss of function caused by the damaged neuronal tissue by blazing new neural pathways through other, undamaged areas of the brain. Research on neural plasticity in recovery from brain injury includes cases where functionality is restored through a physical "rewiring" of the brain. Research on bereavement has documented that the loss of a spouse is often accompanied by increased interaction with friends and relatives and the development of new social networks that might include involvement in religious activities or voluntary associations.
