A strong spiritual relationship may help patients with a brain injury heal faster. According to researchers from Wayne State University's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, belief in a higher power or a supreme being can help a brain injury patient’s process of rehabilitation. The research is published in the journal, Rehabilitation Psychology.

According to the researchers, they were aware that religion and spirituality is typically associated with better physical and mental health outcomes. However, they had little information about what kind of effect a strong religious foundation would have on recovery after a brain injury.

To establish a link between spiritual health and brain injury recovery, the researchers interviewed 88 persons with traumatic brain injury. Most of the subjects were male African-American Christians. The participants were also put through a neuropsychological study of their cognitive abilities. The partners of these participants were also involved, and gave their input about the individual's cognitive abilities.

The researchers found that a majority of the participants who had a belief in a supreme being, reported higher rates of success in emotional and physical rehabilitation. Intriguingly enough, the study did not find that participation in religious activities, like going to church, speeds up a person's recovery after a brain injury. In fact, such religious activities seemed to have no effect at all on the results of the rehabilitation.

According to the researchers, this is likely because patients who suffer from a traumatic brain injury do not have the ability to attend religious activities on their own. These people may be dependent on others to take them to church, or to participate in socio-religious activities. This may be why these activities don't dramatically impact recovery after a brain injury.

California brain injury lawyers would explain this effect of spirituality on rehabilitation through the widely-accepted fact that faith helps individuals through difficult times. These people may feel less stressed about their condition. A sense of calm and lowered stress levels can only be conducive to any kind of rehabilitation.