Friendship, loneliness and psychosocial functioning in children with traumatic brain injury

Objective: This study compares friendship quality, rates of loneliness and general psychosocial functioning in children who have sustained a traumatic brain injury (TBI) with non-injured controls.Methods: A between-subjects design with 14 participants in the TBI group and 14 in the non-injured control group, aged between 7–13 years and matched for age, gender, receptive vocabulary and socio-economic status. Children completed measures of receptive vocabulary (BPVS II), friendship quality (FQQ-R) and loneliness (LSDS). The main caregiver was asked to assess social skills and social withdrawal (PIC-2) and general psychosocial and behavioural functioning (SDQ).Results: Significant differences were not found on measures completed by children or on the PIC-2. On the SDQ, total difficulties were rated as much greater by caregivers in the TBI group (z = −2.6, p = 0.009) and these were mainly associated with sub-scales relating to emotional problems and hyperactivity.Conclusions: Whilst evidence for friendship pr...