“They just say how stupid I was for being conned”. Cyberscams and acquired brain injury: A qualitative exploration of the lived experience of survivors and close others

Gould, Kate R. ; Carminati, Jao-Yue J. ; Ponsford, Jennie L. (2021) — Neuropsychological Rehabilitation

DOI: 10.1080/09602011.2021.2016447

Synopsis

This catalog-style synopsis outlines a qualitative exploration of cyberscam victimization as experienced by adults with acquired brain injury and by their close others, within the field of neuropsychological rehabilitation. The study foregrounds the lived experience, including perceptions of deceit, disruption to daily routines, and the meaning attributed to fraud after brain injury. It considers how cognitive, emotional, and social factors intersect with vulnerability to online manipulation, and how survivors and families navigate recovery, safety planning, and ongoing participation in social, financial, and occupational life. Across participant groups, narratives address how the event of being conned intersects with memory, judgment, and decision-making in real life, as well as the emotional and relational consequences. The synopsis highlights themes related to stigma, self-blame, and shifts in identity, alongside strategies for coping, support-seeking, and adaptation. Close others contribute perspectives on caregiving roles, communication challenges, and the dynamics of support networks. The narrative material is framed to illuminate implications for assessment, rehabilitation planning, and caregiver education within neuropsychological practice. Placed in the broader rehabilitation literature, the topic links cybercrime exposure with cognitive rehabilitation, trauma-informed care, and social participation. It points

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