42 male minor and 56 male severe head injury victims, together with their relatives, were assessed in order to understand the nature of the impact of head injury on a close family member. Relatives experienced significant psychosocial difficulties which persisted throughout the year. A two stage model for understanding the causation of relatives' maladjustment is proposed. Rehabilitation programmes for relatives of severe head injury patients should look for vulnerability factors in the relatives, such as their own illness experience, as well as assessing current life stresses, such as the patient's view of his own progress.