Washington, June 29: Feeling close to a higher power can help traumatic brain injury (TBI) victims rehabilitate faster, according to a new study.

Brigid Waldron-Perrine, Ph. D., a recent graduate from Wayne State University, and her mentor, Lisa J. Rapport, Ph. D., professor of psychology at Wayne State University''s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences say that when TBI leaves people feeling stressed, less satisfied with life and functionally dependent on others, rehabilitation is the only option.

Waldron-Perrine interviewed and completed neuropsychological tests on 88 individuals diagnosed with TBI victims, most of whom were male, African American Christians.

Participants also completed a neuropsychological measure of their cognitive abilities. A significant other of each TBI victim also participated and reported on the injured individual''s functional status.

Waldron-Perrine found that most participants who reported higher levels of religious well-being (a connection to a higher power) had better emotional and physical rehabilitation outcomes.

But public religious activities or practice and existential well-being – a sense that life has a purpose apart from any religious reference – did not have such an effect influence on rehabilitation outcome.

This "intriguing" finding, she said, may be due to the fact that TBI victims lack full control of their ability to participate in public religious practice.

"They often must rely on others for scheduling and transportation to social events, so their public religious participation does not wholly reflect their true use of religious resources," she added.

The study was recently published in Rehabilitation Psychology. (ANI)