ABSTRACT
There has been an extensive and growing interest over several decades in the psychosocial issues and processes related to adaptation or adjustment to acquired disability and chronic illness (Dunn, 2000). Attempts have been made to understand these from a variety of theoretical perspectives. This has resulted in theories, models and approaches being applied to psychosocial treatments and interventions to assist the individual or family in managing the change process following a sudden alteration in health status. More recently these perspectives have been applied in the field of brain injury rehabilitation, reflecting its increasing status as a major health issue internationally. This paper argues that community rehabilitation programmes utilising a bio-psycho-social model have a significant potential for improving psychosocial functioning and social role outcomes for brain injury survivors.
