Female Students’ with Acquired Brain Injury: Experiences in

170 Pages·2013·0.92 MB·English

Female Students’ with Acquired Brain Injury: Experiences in University

by

Kendra Gottschall

Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements
for the degree of Master of Social Work

at

Dalhousie University
Halifax, Nova Scotia
July 2013

© Copyright by Kendra Gottschall, 2013
TABLE OF CONTENTS

List Of Tables……………………………………………………………………………..vi

Abstract…………………………………………………………………………………..vii
List of Abbreviations Used……………………………………………………………...viii
Acknowledgements………………………………………………………………….........ix
Chapter One: Introduction…………………………………………………………………1
Chapter Two: Literature Review…………………………………………………………..6
Introduction………………………………………………………………………..6
Theoretical Literature……...………………………………………………………6
Literature Review……...…………………………………………………………..7
Definitional………………………………………………………………..7
Gender…………………………………………………………………......9
Inclusivity………………………...………………………………………11
Barriers experienced by people with brain injury..………………………12
Supports for people with brain injury……………………………………14
Education and (dis)Ability …………………………………………........15
Postsecondary education and brain injury……………………………….16
The gap…………………………………………………………………...22
Chapter Three: Methodology…………………………………………………………….23
Introduction………………………………………………………………………23
Narrative……….…………………………………………………………………24
Autoethnography…………………………………………………………………26
Recruitment & Sampling…………………………………………………………31
Data Collection…………………………………………………………………...35
ii
Interviewing………………………………………………………………35
Pre-participation Interview……………………………………………….35
Main Interview…………………………………………………………...36
Debriefing………………………………………………………………………...37
Transcription……………………………………………………………………..38
Narrative Analysis………………………………………………………………..39
Ethical Issues …………………………………………………………………….40
Limitations………………………………………………………………………..42
Chapter Four: Storied Lives……………………………………………………………...45
Francine…………………………………………………………………………..45
Adele……………………………………………………………………………..46
Louise…………………………………………………………………………….47
Jolene …………………………………………………………………………….48
Lisa……………………………………………………………………………….49
Chapter Five: Analysis Of Participant’s Narratives……………………………………...51
Introduction………………………………………………………………………51
Gender………………………………………………...………………………….54
Learning Strategies and Methods……………………...………………………....54
Helpful Learning Strategies and Methods………………………………..54
Unhelpful Learning Strategies and Methods……………………………..57
Supports………………………………..…………………………………………59
Individual Supports…………………..…………………………………..59
Support of Family and Friends…….……………………………………..65
Supports in the Academic Sphere……………..…………………………67
iii
Supports related to Experiences with Professors………………………...69
Supports related to Experiences with (dis)Ability resource centres….......74
Supports related to Experiences with Existing Policy and Procedures......77
Barriers………………………………..………………………………………….80
Individual Barriers……………………………………………..................80
Barriers Presented by Family and Friends…………………………….....87
Barriers in the Academic Sphere…………………………………….…...91
Barriers related to Experiences with Professors…………………….……91

Barriers related to Experiences with Medical Professionals……..………98
Barriers related to Experiences with (dis)Ability resource centres………98
Barriers related to Experiences with Existing Policy and Procedures….102
Barriers related to Experiences with Memory………………………......105
Barriers related to Stigma and Ignorance about Acquired Brain
Injuries…………………………………………………………………..108

Barriers related to Socio-political Beliefs and Discourses around asking for
help……………………………………………………………………...115

Conclusion………………………………………………………………………122
Chapter Six: Implications Of Findings For Social Work Practice……………………...125
Offer Personal Emotion-Focused Counselling…………………………………125
Connect Students with Others with Similar Experiences……...………………..127
Address the Social Implications of Brain Injury……………...………………...128
Advocate for Amendments in Policy……………….…………………………..128
Assist Clients in Disclosing Brain Injury and Resulting Implications…….……129
Advocate for Appropriate Postsecondary Accommodations…………….…..…130
Chapter 7: Conclusion………………………………………………………...………...133
iv
References………………………………………………………………………………136
Appendix A……………………………………………………………………………..146
Appendix B……………………………………………………………………………...147
Appendix C……………………………………………………………………………...148
Appendix D……………………………………………………………………………..150
Appendix E-1…………………………………………………………………………...157
Appendix E-2…………………………………………………………………………...158
Appendix E-3…………………………………………………………………………...160

v
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1 Demographic Details of Participants……………………………………..36
Table 2 Interview Length of Time………………………………………………...38

vi
ABSTRACT

Brain injury has become a more topical issue over the past decade, however limited
research has been done on experiences of university students and few are specific to
female students. The research question became: “How has having an acquired brain
injury impacted the experience of female students within postsecondary education?”
Narrative and auto-ethnographic methodologies were employed; semi-structured
interviews with five participants were conducted, and text boxes were utilized to weave
the researcher’s voice as a student with a brain injury into the narrative. Findings indicate
brain injury has diverse implications depending on severity. Some participants spoke of
accessing (dis)Ability resource centres, while others did not utilize formal
accommodations. Findings revealed that participants navigate the academy in isolation
yet wanted to connect with fellow students who have acquired brain injuries. Social
workers can facilitate this process and provide counselling, challenge negative social
implications and work toward building an inclusive educational environment.

vii
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS USED
ABI Acquired Brain Injury
TBI Traumatic Brain Injury

viii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank my family first and foremost for supporting me throughout
my years of education, I would not have pushed myself to keep attaining higher education
without your belief that I could reach the goals I had set out for myself. My brother Brian,
in his determination to keep working and improving his rehabilitation, has been a source
of inspiration for me. To my partner Andrew, thank you for understanding my dedication
to this work and for accepting the demands this has placed on my schedule.
Thanks to the participants who shared their stories for this research. The stories
told were touching and you willingly exposed your experiences to me. I felt a sense of
community with each and every one of you and this reinforced my feeling that this
research was valuable and these stories had to be told.
To my supervisor Dr. Judy E. MacDonald, thank you for being there for me
throughout my time at Dalhousie University. The day we first met, before I was ever
accepted into the program, confirmed that this school and the social work program was
the right fit for me. Thanks for being there for me throughout all the changes I have
experienced in my life. Over the years, I have come to understand your experiences and I
strive to achieve the same dedication that you have achieved, despite obstacles that life
may throw at me.
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Chapter One: Introduction
The idea for this research project originally began when I thought I might like to
become a social worker. My mother and I met with the undergraduate coordinator of the
School of Social Work to explore the possibility of my fit within the program. You see, I
was not an average student. I might have been of average age, educational background,
and even ethnicity, but I had one thing that certainly was not average. I had an acquired
brain injury. In May 2004, when I was nearing the end of my grade 11 education in high
school, I was involved in a motor vehicle accident that lead to me acquiring several
serious physical injuries, including a brain injury. I utilized my own experiences of living
with a brain injury, specifically drawing upon my experiences of pursuing academic
qualifications through postsecondary education. I began the Bachelor of Social Work
program and during my studies I took a (dis)Ability elective. There I learned the political
positioning of (dis)Ability, the history of (dis)Ability rights and critiques of (dis)Ability
policies. I also learned a new way of spelling “disability” that addressed concerns I had
with the term that could be considered oppressive. By placing “dis” in brackets, the focus
is taken off of the things that a person cannot do and capitalizing the first letter of
“ability” highlights the importance of the things that one is able to do (MacDonald &
Friars, 2010). When I went on to take my Masters program I knew that I wanted to do a
thesis on students with acquired brain injuries and in preparation to developing my
proposal my supervisor suggested I do an autoethnographical reflection on my
experiences of living with an acquired brain injury, particularly as it related to
engagement in postsecondary education. In doing this autoethnographical reflection I
recounted my days in rehabilitation following my accident, I re-read the journal I had
written during those initial days, and I recounted how I was able to begin my studies
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