Social support during youth concussion recovery

Concussions and other forms of mild TBI can be an isolating experience. For youth, whose emotional wellbeing is often tied into school and sports, a strong support system is important when these opportunities are limited by brain injury. A recent study in Brain Injury explored the importance of social support during youth concussion recovery, specifically in reference to high school women.

The researchers Helena Kita et al. found three specific types of supporters: close friends, youth with a personal history of concussion, and parents. These three types of supporters came together to create a self-reinforcing support network. Each group was able to fill a specific need of the individual who had sustained the concussion. Needs and common challenges ranged from: feeling misunderstood, feeling socially isolated, feeling unable to ask for help, and concerns about returning to school.

Close friends were best positioned to provide support addressing emotional challenges. Parents were able to provide guidance and help in addressing practical challenges like accessing accommodations. Importantly, youth with a personal history of concussion were those most able to empathize and validate their peers with a concussion because of their personal experiences.

This study reiterates some important conclusions about the role that peer mentors (individuals who have previously sustained mTBI) play in recovery, as described in a 2018 study by Paula Kersten et al., published in BMJ Open. Compared to clinicians, family members, and friends, peer mentors can [1] share validating personal stories that help make sense of recovery, [2] communicate an understanding informed by lived experience, and [3] act as ‘experts’ who can troubleshoot with individuals living with TBI. Ultimately, for youth dealing with concussion, the strongest support network relies on three groups who can each assist with a particular facet of recovery.