Empowering people with acquired brain injury to master their well-being: a thematic analysis of participant experience of an 8-week positive psychotherapy group.

PURPOSE: Despite lifelong challenges, people with Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) can live meaningful and fulfilling lives. Advancements in well-being science and positive psychology (PP), have shifted focus from reducing illbeing to fostering promoting, defined as striving towards excellence based on one's unique potential. These developments make well-being an achievable goal for those with chronic conditions. Whilst emerging evidence suggests that PP techniques can enhance well-being in ABI populations, wide-spread application remains limited and unmet psychological and social needs continue. This study explored the feasibility and well-being impact of a psychosocial intervention, across three neurorehabilitation centers in Wales.

METHOD: This qualitative study presents qualitative findings relating to participant experience of an 8-week group-based positive psychosocial intervention, collected during a from a mixed-methods randomised controlled, mixed-methods feasibility study. Twenty participants from the three neurorehabilitation centers participated in this study. Semi-structured focus groups were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, combining inductive and deductive coding, to explore meanings.

ANALYSIS: Five themes reflected participant views on the feasibility of the intervention and three on its impact. Participants valued the holistic design, structured psychoeducation, and emphasis on building psychological resources. These findings demonstrate that well-being can be actively enhanced in people with ABI through structured group-based PP interventions. Participants described psychological 'boosts' and gains in motivation, self-efficacy, and the capacity to sustain well-being.

CONCLUSION

These insights provide a strong foundation and practical guidance for a full-scale RCT and future implementation. By translating theory into real-world applications, this study highlights the potential of modern PP-informed approaches to address unmet needs and improve outcomes in individuals with ABI.