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Rehabilitation Psychology

Intermediate

Understand the psychological aspects of rehabilitation and recovery from injury or illness.

17 min readUpdated: 1/22/2025PsychePedia Editorial Team

Key Concepts

Adjustment to Disability: Psychological process of adapting to life changes caused by disability or illness.
Cognitive Rehabilitation: Therapeutic approaches to restore or compensate for cognitive functions impaired by brain injury or neurological conditions.
Use it or Lose it Principle: Principle stating that neural connections strengthened through active use will weaken without stimulation.
Rehabilitation Adherence: The degree to which an individual follows prescribed rehabilitation protocols and engages in recovery behaviors.
Anosognosia: Impaired awareness of one's own deficits, common after brain injury, creating challenges for rehabilitation engagement.
Posttraumatic Growth: Positive psychological change experienced as a result of adversity or challenging circumstances.
Self-Efficacy: Beliefs about one's ability to perform specific behaviors, strongly predicting rehabilitation engagement and self-management.
Holistic Rehabilitation: Comprehensive approach integrating cognitive, emotional, social, and vocational rehabilitation in unified programs.
Phantom Limb: Sensations, sometimes painful, perceived to come from an amputated limb that is no longer present.
Secondary Conditions: Health problems occurring as consequences of a primary disability, often preventable with proper management.

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Introduction to Rehabilitation Psychology

Rehabilitation psychology examines psychological processes involved in recovery from injury, illness, or disability. This field addresses adjustment, coping, and quality of life during rehabilitation, with applications to physical rehabilitation, brain injury recovery, and chronic illness management.

Adjustment to Disability

Grief and Loss: - Processing stages: Shock, denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance - Chronic grief vs. acute loss

Coping Strategies: - Problem-focused coping: Active problem-solving - Emotion-focused coping: Managing emotional responses - Meaning-focused coping: Finding significance in adversity

Disability Models: - Moral model: Disability as moral failing - Medical model: Disability as problem to be cured - Social model: Disability created by social barriers - Independent living model: Maximizing autonomy

Neuropsychological Rehabilitation

Brain Injury Recovery: - Spontaneous recovery occurs in first 6 months - Recovery plateau typically at 12-18 months - Late recovery possible up to 2 years

Rehabilitation Principles: - Rehabilitation is learning - Use it or lose it principle - Mass practice over distributed practice - Salience: Making practice personally meaningful

Cognitive Rehabilitation Approaches: - Attention process training - Memory rehabilitation techniques - Executive function remediation - Metacognitive strategy training - Compensatory strategies for deficits

Physical Rehabilitation Psychology

Adherence to Rehabilitation: - Motivation and adherence to treatment programs - Self-efficacy beliefs influence engagement - Social support enhances adherence

Pain Management: - Cognitive-behavioral approaches for chronic pain - Biofeedback and relaxation techniques - Acceptance and commitment approaches

Psychological Factors in Recovery: - Depression and anxiety as barriers to recovery - Personality factors affecting rehabilitation engagement - Social support networks and outcomes - Occupational identity and role transitions

Rehabilitation Interventions

Goal Setting and Motivation: - SMART goals for rehabilitation progress - Motivational interviewing techniques - Reward systems for progress acknowledgment

Group Therapy Programs: - Peer support models - Shared experiences reduce isolation - Skill-building through group activities

Family Involvement: - Psychoeducation for families - Family adjustment counseling - Support for caregivers

Test Your Knowledge

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References

[1]
Wilson, B. A., Tate, R. L., & Grimley, G. J. (2019). Neuropsychological Rehabilitation. Oxford University Press (2nd ed.).
[2]
Schultz, K. K., & DeLisa, L. J. (2018). Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Elsevier.
[3]
Frank, R. G., & Elliott, T. R. (2000). Handbook of Rehabilitation Psychology. American Psychological Association.
[4]
Prigatano, G. P. (1999). Principles of Neuropsychological Rehabilitation. Oxford University Press.
[5]
Kennedy, P. (2012). The Oxford Handbook of Rehabilitation Psychology. Oxford University Press.
[6]
Cicerone, K. D., et al. (2019). Evidence-Based Cognitive Rehabilitation: Systematic Review of the Literature From 2009 Through 2014. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 100(8), 1515-1533.
[7]
Bombardier, C. H., et al. (2012). Depression Trajectories During the First Year After Spinal Cord Injury. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 93(2), 268-274.
[8]
Dijkers, M. P. (2005). Quality of Life of Individuals With Spinal Cord Injury: A Review of Conceptualization, Measurement, and Research Findings. Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development, 42(3), 87-110.
[9]
Kreutzer, J. S., et al. (2009). Family Needs After Brain Injury: A Quantitative Analysis of Family and Professional Perspectives. Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, 24(2), 111-119.
[10]
Turk, D. C., & Gatchel, R. J. (2018). Psychological Approaches to Pain Management: A Practitioner's Handbook. Guilford Press (3rd ed.).