Severe traumatic brain injuries are common and can lead to major long-term disability. Patients with severe brain injury often require admission to critical care. For relatives, this period is highly distressing: during and after an ICU stay, family members frequently experience anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress symptoms.
In recent years, family involvement in critical care has been associated with better communication with the healthcare team and fewer psychological difficulties among relatives. In parallel, findings from neuroscience suggest that early multisensory stimulation (engaging the five senses) may help support brain recovery by promoting neuronal connections during the awakening phase.
This study evaluates whether a standardized neurosensory stimulation program, delivered by trained relatives of brain-injured patients hospitalized in critical care, can reduce post-traumatic stress symptoms in those relatives. We hypothesize that involving relatives in a structured, supervised multisensory stimulation protocol during the patient's awakening phase (before transfer to rehabilitation) will decrease relatives' post-traumatic stress symptoms at 3 months after critical care discharge (or after the patient's death). We also expect potential secondary benefits on patients' awakening and recovery trajectory.
Age ≥ 18 years
Relative (family member or close person) of an eligible brain-injured patient hospitalized in critical care
Able and willing to provide informed consent to participate.
Available to attend at least three visits during the patient's critical care hospitalization.
Non-French-speaking or insufficient French proficiency to complete study procedures/questionnaires.
Insufficient understanding/comprehension of the study procedures, as assessed during the initial interview after explanations by the study nurse.