AUTHOR=Wedege Pia , Mæland Silje , Divanoglou Anestis , Abrahamsen Frank Eirik 

TITLE=Enriching the lives of children with acquired brain injury and their caregivers: experiences from peer mentorship sports camps

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Rehabilitation Sciences

VOLUME=Volume 5 - 2024

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/rehabilitation-sciences/articles/10.3389/fresc.2024.1285742

DOI=10.3389/fresc.2024.1285742

ISSN=2673-6861

ABSTRACT=Peer-based community interventions, such as Active Rehabilitation camps, have shown promise in improving health management and fostering social integration, coping skills, and psychological functioning among individuals with a disability. These Active Rehabilitation camps, which provide structured, time-limited peer mentorship in conjunction with sports and leisure activities, hold potential benefits for individuals with acquired neurological injury. However, the specific impact of these camps on children or individuals with acquired brain injury remains unexplored.In this longitudinal, qualitative study, we explored children with an acquired brain injury and their caregivers' experiences with an Active Rehabilitation camp in Norway through observations and interviews with nine children and ten caregivers. Using an abductive thematic analysis, we identified an overarching theme: Active Rehabilitation peer mentorship camps enrich the lives of children with acquired brain injury and their caregivers. The theme contains three sub-themes: 1) Interacting with peers made me wiser, 2) Nudging from peer mentors made me feel better, and 3) A sense of companionship through meeting peers.Peer mentorship, sports and leisure activities, and the safe camp atmosphere benefitted children with acquired brain injury and their caregivers. The children gained knowledge, motivation, and selfworth, and their caregivers had greater impetus to prioritize their children's independence. Meeting peers and peer mentors led to friendships and sustained social connections. The Self-Determination Theory was of assistance in explaining the informants' experiences. Active Rehabilitation camps provide children with acquired brain injury and their caregivers with an opportunity to develop better coping skills, improve psychological functioning, and build more robust social networks.