Female Students with Acquired Brain Injury: Experiences in University

Abstract

Brain injury has become a more topical issue over the past decade, however limited research has been done on experiences of university students and few are specific to female students. The research question became: “How has having an acquired brain injury impacted the experience of female students within postsecondary education?” Narrative and auto-ethnographic methodologies were employed; semi-structured interviews with five participants were conducted, and text boxes were utilized to weave the researcher’s voice as a student with a brain injury into the narrative. Findings indicate brain injury has diverse implications depending on severity. Some participants spoke of accessing (dis)Ability resource centres, while others did not utilize formal accommodations. Findings revealed that participants navigate the academy in isolation yet wanted to connect with fellow students who have acquired brain injuries. Social workers can facilitate this process and provide counselling, challenge negative social implications and work toward building an inclusive educational environment.