Kontos P, Miller KL, Colantonio A, Cott C. Grief, Anger, and Relationality: The Impact of a Research-Based Theater Intervention on Emotion Work Practices in Brain Injury Rehabilitation.
EVALUATION REVIEW 2014;
38:29-67. [PMID:
24743646 PMCID:
PMC4318689 DOI:
10.1177/0193841x14531260]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Therapeutic emotion work is performed by health care providers as they manage their own feelings as well as those of colleagues and patients as part of efforts to improve the physical and psychosocial health outcomes of patients. It has yet to be examined within the context of traumatic brain injury rehabilitation.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the impact of a research-based theater intervention on emotion work practices of neurorehabilitation staff.
RESEARCH DESIGN
Data were collected at baseline and at 3 and 12 months postintervention in the inpatient neurorehabilitation units of two rehabilitation hospitals in central urban Canada.
SUBJECTS
Participants (N = 33) were recruited from nursing, psychology, allied health, recreational therapy, and chaplaincy.
MEASURES
Naturalistic observations (N = 204.5 hr) of a range of structured and unstructured activities in public and private areas, and semistructured interviews (N = 87) were conducted.
RESULTS
Preintervention analysis indicated emotion work practices were characterized by stringent self-management of empathy, suppression of client grief, adeptness with client anger, and discomfort with reactions of family and spouses. Postintervention analysis indicated significant staff changes in a relationality orientation, specifically improvements in outreach to homosexual and heterosexual family care partners, and support for sexual orientation and intimacy expression. No improvements were demonstrated in grief support.
CONCLUSION
Emotion work has yet to be the focus of initiatives to improve neurorehabilitative care. Our findings suggest the dramatic arts are well positioned to improve therapeutic emotion work and effect cultures of best practice. Recommendations are made for interprofessional educational initiatives to improve responses to client grief and potential intimate partner violence.
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