Association Between Help Seeking, Motivation, and Relationship Satisfaction in Couples Post Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) presents significant challenges for couples, affecting communication, emotional regulation, and overall relationship dynamics. This study examines the association between help-seeking, motivation, and relationship satisfaction in couples where one partner has experienced a TBI. Specifically, we investigated (a) how self-stigma for help-seeking influenced motivation for mental health service engagement in both partners and (b) whether these associations varied by relationship satisfaction. Using the actor partner interdependence model (APIM), we assessed 160 couples to explore the interdependence of help-seeking stigma on both motivation and perceived relationship quality. Results indicated that there was a statistically significant difference in perceived relationship quality between TBI and non-TBI partners. Actor and partner effects were not statistically significant in this sample. However, the findings highlight the complexities of relational dynamics in TBI-affected couples and emphasize the need for further research on TBI related help-seeking stigma and relational support mechanisms.