ABSTRACT
Emotional support needs are most often rated as unmet and unmet needs are often related to neurobehavioural changes which increase over time. Neurobehavioural problems have been found to be related to poor school performance, psychiatric illness, and poor peer relations, and are a major cause of parental distress. The family environment has been found to be a significant moderator of neurobehavioural impairments after traumatic brain injury (TBI) in children. Addressing the neurobehavioural sequelae of the child with TBI is essential to alleviating the stress in the family environment so that parents can refocus their energies on the needs of uninjured family members. Clinicians have a fundamental role in helping families understand and cope with the effects of injury and how to manage common neurobehavioural sequelae. Clinicians have been concerned that the neurobehavioural consequences of injury are detrimental to family functioning and caregivers' emotional well-being. Concern has been expressed about the impact of neurobehavioural disorders on marital relationships.
