Experiences of Acquired Brain Injury as Expressed Through Mask-Making: A Qualitative Analysis.

PURPOSE: Acquired brain injury (ABI) extends beyond the immediate aftermath, and understanding individual experience of ABI is paramount to providing effective support mechanisms. This study examined how people with ABI used mask-making to engage in self-expression. METHOD: Publicly available data from the Unmasking Brain Injury Project website, an advocacy group for people with ABI, were analyzed. A qualitative approach with hybrid inductive/deductive analysis was used to explore how people with ABI use art to express their emotional experiences of ABI. RESULTS: In total, 1,049 masks had narratives describing the visual components and meaning in the associated masks. Three major themes emerged: the multiplicity of experiences after ABI, including positive, negative, and mixed outcomes; the expression of emotional pain and living with loss through art; and the importance of positivity, purpose, and faith in the experience with ABI. Multiplicity was the central expression represented in the masks. The most commonly represented emotional experiences were: emotional pain and living with loss and positivity, purpose, and faith. The masks incorporated literal depictions of the ABI, visual metaphors, and intentional use of colors and shapes for self-expression. CONCLUSIONS: These results support previous findings that emotional experiences after ABI are complex and often interlaced with several emotions. The most prominent feelings include emotional pain and living with loss, and positivity, purpose, and faith. Mask-making may be a particularly appropriate method for people with ABI to process or express emotional experiences, as well as to provide clinicians with visual records of sense of self, coping, or progress.

Cognitive communication disorders after brain injury: A systematic COSMIN review of measurement instruments.

BACKGROUND: There is a lack of consensus on standardized measurement instruments (MIs) for the assessment of cognitive communication disorders in individuals with acquired brain injury (ABI). OBJECTIVES: To identify and describe the currently available MIs for the assessment of cognitive communication disorders in individuals with ABI and to evaluate the psychometric properties of MIs. METHODS: A search was conducted in 6 databases on March 12, 2024 using a validated methodological search filter. We included studies that evaluated psychometric properties of MIs used to assess cognitive communication disorders in individuals with ABI. We applied the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) to evaluate the psychometric properties of the MIs. RESULTS: We included 48 records reporting on 44 MIs. Of all MIs, the La Trobe Communication Questionnaire (LCQ) and the St Andrew's-Swansea Neurobehavioural Outcome Scale (SASNOS) were studied most extensively. No MIs had undergone exhaustive methodological evaluation. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the COSMIN, only 1 of 44 MIs can be recommended as its results can be trusted. Most MIs have the potential to be recommended but require further research to assess their psychometric quality. The development of new tools is not necessary but further methodological studies should be conducted on promising tools. This review may help clinicians and researchers to select an MI for the assessment of cognitive communication disorders and may facilitate diagnosis and research. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO database (registration number: CRD42020196861). No funding.

"A whole ball of all-togetherness": The interwoven experiences of intimate partner violence, brain injury, and mental health.

BACKGROUND: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a global public health crisis, with physical violence leaving IPV survivors at high risk of brain injury (BI). Both BI and IPV have significant physical, psychological, cognitive, and social impacts, including a high risk of mental health concerns, yet there is limited exploration of IPV survivors' experiences with BI and mental health. This study aimed to explore the BI- and mental health-related needs and experiences of IPV survivors from the perspectives of survivors and service providers with the objective of developing knowledge translation materials to raise awareness and support survivors and service providers in addressing these concerns. METHODS: This qualitative interpretive description study involved 19 semi-structured interviews and two focus group discussions (2-3 participants each) with 24 participants including IPV survivors experiencing BI and mental health concerns as well as IPV, mental health, and BI service providers between October 2020 and February 2021. Three screening questions were used to identify probable BI among survivors. Participants across groups were an average of 48.5±12.7 years old and were predominantly cisgender women (96%), of European origin (75%), with a university degree (71%). Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and thematically analyzed. FINDINGS: Across interviews, participants spoke about IPV, BI, and mental health as being complex and interrelated experiences that have impacts across the survivor's life and extend well beyond the abusive relationship. Because of the underrecognized nature of BI in IPV, finding and accessing care requires persistence that survivors spoke of as being like "a full-time job." The benefit of making meaningful connections, particularly with other survivors, was highlighted. CONCLUSIONS: Recognition of BI as a contributing factor shaping the lived experience of IPV survivors; acknowledgement that the impacts of IPV, BI, and mental health are far reaching and long lasting; and reducing barriers to finding and accessing appropriate care are critical to better supporting IPV survivors with BI and mental health concerns. Clinicians should consider BI and its lingering impacts among the IPV survivors with whom they work. Health and social policy that supports integration of care and the reduction of unnecessary barriers should be a priority.

An exploratory study of dialectical behaviour therapy for emotional dysregulation and challenging behaviours after acquired brain injury.

BACKGROUND: Challenging behaviours and emotional dysregulation are common sequelae of acquired brain injury (ABI), but treatment remain underdeveloped. Dialectical behaviour therapy is an evidence-based therapy for emotional dysregulation. OBJECTIVE: To explore the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of dialectical behaviour therapy for ABI. METHODS: An exploratory longitudinal study that compared thirty adults with brain injury presenting persistent emotion dysregulation or challenging behaviours. Control group received a personalized multidisciplinary program only (n = 13). The dialectical behaviour therapy group received five months of emotion regulation skills learning as an add-on (n = 17). Preliminary efficacy was measured on Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale-16 and Quality of Life after Brain Injury total score and emotion subscore. RESULTS: Fourteen participants completed the dialectical behaviour therapy. This study provided preliminary evidence for the feasibility and acceptability of dialectical behaviour therapy. Repeated measures revealed improvement on the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale-16 (-7.6 [-17.3; 1.7]; Pr = 0.95) and on the Quality Of Life emotion subscore (13.5 [-3.8; 30.9]; Pr = 0.94). CONCLUSION: This study raises important questions regarding the type of patients who can benefit from this intervention, necessary adaptations of dialectical behaviour therapy and the way it can help post-traumatic growth and identity reconstruction after ABI.

The associations of socioeconomic position with structural brain damage and connectivity and cognitive functioning: The Maastricht Study.

BACKGROUND: Socioeconomic inequalities in cognitive impairment may partly act through structural brain damage and reduced connectivity. This study investigated the extent to which the association of early-life socioeconomic position (SEP) with later-life cognitive functioning is mediated by later-life SEP, and whether the associations of SEP with later-life cognitive functioning can be explained by structural brain damage and connectivity. METHODS: We used cross-sectional data from the Dutch population-based Maastricht Study (n = 4,839; mean age 59.2 ± 8.7 years, 49.8% women). Early-life SEP was assessed by self-reported poverty during childhood and parental education. Later-life SEP included education, occupation, and current household income. Participants underwent cognitive testing and 3-T magnetic resonance imaging to measure volumes of white matter hyperintensities, grey matter, white matter, cerebrospinal fluid, and structural connectivity. Multiple linear regression analyses tested the associations between SEP, markers of structural brain damage and connectivity, and cognitive functioning. Mediation was tested using structural equation modeling. RESULTS: Although there were direct associations between both indicators of SEP and later-life cognitive functioning, a large part of the association between early-life SEP and later-life cognitive functioning was explained by later-life SEP (72.2%). The extent to which structural brain damage or connectivity acted as mediators between SEP and cognitive functioning was small (up to 5.9%). CONCLUSIONS: We observed substantial SEP differences in later-life cognitive functioning. Associations of structural brain damage and connectivity with cognitive functioning were relatively small, and only marginally explained the SEP gradients in cognitive functioning.

Burden in caregivers of patients with acquired brain injury: Influence of family role and gender.

BACKGROUND: Acquired brain injuries (ABI) represent neurological disorders that can arise after traumatic and non-traumatic events. In addition to the physical, emotional and cognitive challenges that patients face, these injuries can bring changes in the life of the patient and his or her family. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to understand how the occurrence of an ABI condition can disrupt and reshape family functioning by examining certain dimensions such as role in the family, gender and age, which may have a major influence on family dynamics. METHODS: We enrolled 86 caregivers of patients with ABI. Two experienced psychologists examined family functioning with Olso's Family Adaptability and Cohesion Rating Scale (FACES IV). RESULTS: The correlation between groups by generics showed a significant difference only for flexibility (p = 0.05). Specifically, flexibility was greater in male caregivers, particularly in sons. Most of the constructs defining family functioning, such as communication, remained unchanged despite the ABI event. CONCLUSION: This study provides an in-depth understanding of how families face the challenges posed by the ABI and the role caregivers play within the system.

Difficulty resuming driving in acute acquired brain injury: Retrospective observational study using discriminant analysis.

OBJECTIVES: We hypothesized that neuropsychological testing and history of falls would be associated with difficulty resume driving after acute acquired brain injury (ABI). This study aimed to analyze ABI facing difficulties in resuming driving in the acute phase. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 63 patients receiving assistance in driving-resumption after ABI. Patients were categorized into two groups: driving-resumption-possible and driving-resumption-difficult. Discriminant analysis delineated characteristics of patients experiencing driving-resumption difficulty. Additionally, significant predictors were analyzed using ROC curves. RESULTS: 42 patients were able to resume driving, and 21 experienced difficulties in driving resumption. Factors predicting difficulty returning to driving were age, history of falls, TMT Part B, and ROCF. Furthermore, cut-off values for each were 72 years, 148 seconds for TMT Part B, and 29.5 points for ROCF. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with advanced age, history of falls, delayed TMT Part B, and poor ROCF outcomes may face challenges in resuming driving after ABI. These factors may serve as a valuable metric to assess driving resumption difficulties after ABI.

Reclaiming Agency in Care Decisions and Barriers From the Perspectives of Individuals With Acquired Brain Injury and Their Family Members.

BACKGROUND: The ability to self-advocate or have a say in one's care is integral to personalised care after acquired brain injury (ABI). This study aimed to understand what constitutes self-advocacy and associated barriers and facilitators throughout hospital transitions and into the community. METHOD: Qualitative methodology was employed with semistructured interviews conducted with 12 people with ABI and 13 family members. Interviews were conducted at predischarge (in-person or via telephone) and 4 months postdischarge (via telephone) from the brain injury rehabilitation unit of a tertiary hospital. Data were thematically analysed using a hybrid deductive-inductive approach. RESULTS: Self-advocacy reflects the process of reclaiming agency or people's efforts to exert influence over care decisions after ABI. Agency varies along a continuum, often beginning with impaired processing of the self or environment (loss of agency) before individuals start to understand and question their care (emerging agency) and ultimately plan and direct their ongoing and future care (striving for agency). This process may vary across individuals and contexts. Barriers to self-advocacy for individuals with ABI include neurocognitive deficits that limit capacity and desire for control over decisions, unfamiliar and highly structured environments and lack of family support. Facilitators include neurocognitive recovery, growing desire to self-advocate and scaffolded support from family and clinicians. CONCLUSION: Self-advocacy after ABI entails a process of reclaiming agency whereby individuals seek to understand, question and direct their ongoing care. This is facilitated by neurocognitive recovery, growing capacity and desire and scaffolded supports. Research evaluating approaches for embedding self-advocacy skills early in brain injury rehabilitation is recommended. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: Two caregivers with lived experience of supporting a family member with ABI were involved in the design and conduct of this study and contributed to and provided feedback on the manuscript.

Perception of diagnosis by family caregivers in severe brain injury patients in China.

OBJECTIVES: Surrogate decision-making by family caregivers for patients with severe brain injury is influenced by the availability and understanding of relevant information and expectations for future rehabilitation. We aimed to compare the consistency of family caregivers' perceptions with clinical diagnoses and to inform their expectation of prognosis in the future. METHODS: The Coma Recovery Scale-Revised was used to assess the diagnosis of inpatients with severe brain injury between February 2019 and February 2020. A main family caregiver was included per patient. The family caregiver's perception of the patient's consciousness and expectations of future recovery were collected through questionnaires and compared consistently with the clinical diagnosis. RESULTS: The final sample included 101 main family caregivers of patients (57 UWS, unresponsive wakefulness syndrome, 37 MCS, minimally conscious state, 7 EMCS, emergence from MCS) with severe brain injury. Only 57 family caregivers correctly assessed the level of consciousness as indicated by the CRS-R, showing weak consistency (Kappa = 0.217, P = 0.002). Family caregivers' demographic characteristics and CRS-R diagnosis influenced the consistency between perception and clinical diagnosis. Family caregivers who provided hands-on care to patients showed higher levels of consistent perception (AOR = 12.24, 95% CI = 2.06-73.00, P = 0.006). Compared to UWS, the family caregivers of MCS patients were more likely to have a correct perception (OR = 7.68, 95% CI = 1.34-44.06). Family caregivers had positive expectations for patients' recovery in terms of both communication and returning to normal life. CONCLUSION: Nearly half of family caregivers have inadequate understanding of their relative's level of consciousness, and most of them report overly optimistic expectations that do not align with clinical diagnosis. Providing more medical information to family caregivers to support their surrogate decision-making process is essential.

Virtual reality as a method of cognitive training of processing speed, working memory, and sustained attention in persons with acquired brain injury: a protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Acquired brain injury (ABI) often leads to persisting somatic, cognitive, and social impairments. Cognitive impairments of processing speed, sustained attention, and working memory are frequently reported and may negatively affect activities of daily living and quality of life. Rehabilitation efforts aiming to retrain these cognitive functions have often consisted of computerized training programs. However, few studies have demonstrated effects that transfer beyond the trained tasks. There is a growing optimism regarding the potential usefulness of virtual reality (VR) in cognitive rehabilitation. The research literature is sparse, and existing studies are characterized by considerable methodological weaknesses. There is also a lack of knowledge about the acceptance and tolerability of VR as an intervention method for people with ABI. The present study aims to investigate whether playing a commercially available VR game is effective in training cognitive functions after ABI and to explore if the possible effects transfer into everyday functioning. METHODS: One hundred participants (18-65 years), with a verified ABI, impairments of processing speed/attention, and/or working memory, and a minimum of 12 months post injury will be recruited. Participants with severe aphasia, apraxia, visual neglect, epilepsy, and severe mental illness will be excluded. Participants will be randomized into two parallel groups: (1) an intervention group playing a commercial VR game taxing processing speed, working memory, and sustained attention; (2) an active control group receiving psychoeducation regarding compensatory strategies, and general cognitive training tasks such as crossword puzzles or sudoku. The intervention period is 5 weeks. The VR group will be asked to train at home for 30 min 5 days per week. Each participant will be assessed at baseline with neuropsychological tests and questionnaires, after the end of the intervention (5 weeks), and 16 weeks after baseline. After the end of the intervention period, focus group interviews will be conducted with 10 of the participants in the intervention group, in order to investigate acceptance and tolerability of VR as a training method. DISCUSSION: This study will contribute to improve understanding of how VR is tolerated and experienced by the ABI population. If proven effective, the study can contribute to new rehabilitation methods that persons with ABI can utilize in a home setting, after the post-acute rehabilitation has ended.

Investigating the Efficacy of a Community Support Network Rehabilitation Intervention for Improving Resiliency, Quality of Life, and Neurocognitive Function in Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence-Caused Brain Injury: Protocol for a Feasibility Study.

BACKGROUND: Globally, approximately 1 in 3 women experience intimate partner violence (IPV) in their lifetime. Brain injury (BI) is a common, yet often unrecognized, consequence of IPV. BIs caused by IPV tend to be mild, occur repetitively over the course of months or years, are remote in time, and result in chronic symptoms. Similar to BI from other causes, therapeutic treatment for women with IPV-caused BI (IPV-BI) is crucial to help resolve any physical or cognitive impairments, enhance the quality of life (QoL), and minimize longer-term neurodegeneration. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the feasibility and efficacy of a community support network (CSN) rehabilitation intervention regarding its impact on resiliency, QoL, and neurocognitive function. METHODS: In this pre- and postexperimental design, women (aged 18 to 50 years) who are survivors of IPV and IPV-BI will be recruited from various community organizations serving survivors of IPV. Exclusion criteria will include current pregnancy and any diagnosed neurological disorder known to affect cerebrovascular, neurocognitive, or sensorimotor function. A CSN rehabilitation intervention that includes aerobic exercise, cognitive training, mindfulness meditation, and counseling will be administered. A trauma-informed approach will be integrated into the design and implementation of the program. Furthermore, the program will include a participant navigator who will provide trauma- and violence-informed advocacy and systems navigation support to participants, in addition to facilitating a monthly peer support group. The intervention will be provided for 2.5 hours a day and 2 days a week for 3 months. Participants will complete psychological assessments and provide clinic-demographic information in the first assessment. In the second (before intervention), third (after intervention), and fourth (at follow-up) sessions, they will complete tests of resiliency, QoL, and neurocognition. The estimated sample size is 100. The objective of this study will be accomplished by quantitatively measuring resiliency, QoL, and neurocognition before and immediately after the intervention. A follow-up assessment will occur 3 months after the completion of the intervention to evaluate the maintenance of any improvements in function. One-way ANOVAs will be used to evaluate the intervention outcome across the testing times. Relationships among various variables will be explored using regression analysis. RESULTS: We anticipate that the CSN rehabilitation intervention will be effective in improving resiliency, QoL, and neurocognitive function in women who have experienced IPV-BI. Furthermore, we anticipate that this intervention will be feasible in terms of study recruitment, adherence, and retention. CONCLUSIONS: The CSN rehabilitation intervention will have a positive impact on resiliency, QoL, and neurocognitive functions in survivors of IPV-BI. Subsequently, a comparative study will be conducted by recruiting a control group receiving usual care. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): PRR1-10.2196/54605.

Heads Together Online Peer Education (HOPE): co-design of a family-led, video-based resource for families affected by paediatric acquired brain injury.

Background Many families of children with acquired brain injuries (ABI) desire opportunities to connect with peers who have shared similar experiences, but such opportunities are often unavailable. Heads Together Online Peer Education (HOPE) is a co-designed online video-based resource that provides information and early support to families following paediatric ABI. This study is part of a larger co-creation project using a community-based participatory research approach to develop and implement HOPE for families impacted by paediatric ABI in Australia. This study aimed to explore parents' and clinicians' perspectives regarding HOPE's usability, acceptability, and future implementation. Methods Parents and clinicians were recruited from a state-wide, interdisciplinary rehabilitation service. Parents were eligible to participate if their child had sustained an ABI within 2 years of recruitment. Participants accessed HOPE, completed the System Usability Scale (SUS), and participated in a semi-structured interview. Transcripts were analysed using inductive content analysis. Results Ten parents and 13 rehabilitation clinicians participated. Average SUS scores were 80.5/100 and 81.73/100, respectively. Participants were satisfied with HOPE's family-centred content and delivery. They expressed having benefited from using HOPE and offered suggestions for its optimisation. Finally, participants reflected on how HOPE could be introduced to and used by families, and its potential usefulness in educating others about paediatric ABI. Conclusions HOPE was developed through a family-led co-design process and aims to provide information and support to families in the early stages following paediatric ABI. This study's findings demonstrate HOPE's usability and acceptability from end-users' perspectives and will guide implementation.

A systematic review of remotely delivered interventions to support wellbeing amongst caregivers of adults with acquired brain injuries.

Background There is a need for improved access to evidence-based interventions supporting the wellbeing of caregivers of adults with acquired brain injury (ABI). Remotely delivered interventions could address this need. The present systematic review sought to collate studies evaluating remotely delivered interventions designed to improve the wellbeing of caregivers of adults with an ABI, to summarise findings and to comment on the quality of this research. Methods Systematic searches were conducted up until December 2023. Study characteristics, populations, interventions and outcomes were outlined, and papers were appraised on methodological quality. The review was pre-registered (PROSPERO: CRD42020189235). Results Eleven studies meeting inclusion criteria were identified. Methodological quality was generally low to adequate. Most studies evaluated an intervention for caregivers of people with stroke, with a variety of types of interventions trialled. The majority of studies reported non-significant findings on wellbeing outcomes when compared to control conditions. Conclusions There is limited evidence supporting a remotely delivered intervention to improve wellbeing outcomes for ABI caregivers. Specific recommendations are provided, including the development of a core set of outcomes and replication of findings over time, which can improve research into the development and evaluation of remote interventions for this population.

An online self-study mindfulness-based stress reduction course for people suffering from mental fatigue after an acquired brain injury.

OBJECTIVE: The Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program has shown promising results for people suffering from mental fatigue after an acquired brain injury. The aim was to evaluate the feasibility of a MBSR program performed as an online self-study course for this group of people. METHODS: Sixty participants who had suffered an acquired brain injury with lasting mental fatigue were randomized to an online MBSR course or to a waitlist control group. They answered self-report questionnaires before start and after the course. RESULTS: Sixteen completed the MBSR program. With the repeated ANOVA no significant difference between groups was found, although there was a significant change in time (the repetition factor). The post-hoc paired t-test indicated a significant reduction and a large-to-median effect size in mental fatigue (p = 0.003, d = 0.896), depression (p = 0.038, d = 0.569) and anxiety (p = 0.030, d = 0.598) for the MBSR group. No significant changes were found for the control group. CONCLUSION: An online self-study MBSR program for people suffering from mental fatigue after an acquired brain injury can be a feasible option for those suffering from less severe mental fatigue and emotional symptoms, while others may require a program adapted to their needs.

Interventions to support children after a parental acquired brain injury: a scoping review.

OBJECTIVE: This scoping review aimed to identify manualised programs and practice suggestions to support children's health literacy, behaviors and emotions after a parental acquired brain injury. METHODS: A systematic search of five scientific databases (PsychINFO, MEDLINE, ProQuest, Scopus, Cochrane) and gray literature occurred. Inclusion criteria included: studies and gray literature published 1989 to 2023, in English, child populations with relationship to parental acquired brain injury, identifying manualised programs or practice suggestions via content analysis approach. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS: No data were collected from human participants. All included studies, where relevant, demonstrated consent and/or ethical processes. RESULTS: Sixteen relevant studies and three gray literature resources (n = 19) were identified, including two studies that detailed manualised programs, and fifteen studies and two resource packs that included practice suggestions. Five common domains within practice suggestions were identified: systemic commitment (n = 17); family-centered approaches (n = 16); child-centered practices (n = 15); structured programs (n = 9); and peer support (n = 8). CONCLUSIONS: More rigorous evaluation is required to test the potential benefits of manualised programs and practice suggestions. A systemic commitment at clinical and organizational levels to provide child and family-centered practices, structured programs, and access to peer support, early and throughout adult-health care settings, may help to meet the support needs of children.

Investigating the Link Between Subjective Depth Perception Deficits and Objective Stereoscopic Vision Deficits in Individuals With Acquired Brain Injury.

Individuals with acquired brain injury have reported subjective complaints of depth perception deficits, but few have undergone objective assessments to confirm these deficits. As a result, the literature currently lacks reports detailing the correlation between subjective depth perception deficits and objective stereoscopic vision deficits in individuals with acquired brain injury, particularly those cases that are characterized by a clearly defined lesion. To investigate this relationship, we recruited three individuals with acquired brain injury who experienced depth perception deficits and related difficulties in their daily lives. We had them take neurologic, ophthalmological, and neuropsychological examinations. We also had them take two types of stereoscopic vision tests: a Howard-Dolman-type stereoscopic vision test and the Topcon New Objective Stereo Test. Then, we compared the results with those of two control groups: a group with damage to the right hemisphere of the brain and a group of healthy controls. Performance on the two stereoscopic vision tests was severely impaired in the three patients. One of the patients also presented with cerebral diplopia. We identified the potential neural basis of these deficits in the cuneus and the posterior section of the superior parietal lobule, which play a role in vergence fusion and are located in the caudal region of the dorso-dorsal visual pathway, which is known to be crucial not only for visual spatial perception, but also for reaching, grasping, and making hand postures in the further course of that pathway.

Longitudinal Investigation of Alexithymia as a Predictor of Empathy, Emotional Functioning, Resilience, and Life Satisfaction 2 Years After Brain Injury.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the unique contribution of alexithymia at 1 year after traumatic brain injury (TBI) to the prospective prediction of emotional and social health outcomes at 2 years after injury. DESIGN: Multicenter, longitudinal cohort study. SETTING: Data were collected during year 1 and year 2 postinjury follow-up interviews across 4 TBI Model System centers. PARTICIPANTS: Persons with TBI (N=175; 134 men and 41 women) who had English fluency and were capable of providing self-reported data. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary independent variable was the Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20. Outcome measures included the Interpersonal Reactivity Index, National Institute of Health Toolbox Emotion Battery Anger, Difficulty with Emotion Regulation Scale, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist - Civilian, Satisfaction with Life Scale, General Anxiety Disorder-7, Patient Health Questionnaire 9, suicidal ideation, and problematic substance use. RESULTS: Simple adjusted models demonstrated that after controlling for the specific outcome at year 1, Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 scores significantly predicted year 2 scores for perspective-taking, physical aggression, emotional dysregulation, resilience, anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation. All of these predictive findings except for physical aggression were maintained in the fully adjusted models that also controlled for age, sex, education level, number of prior TBIs, and motor and cognitive functioning. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with those with lower alexithymia scores, persons with TBI who had higher alexithymia scores at 1 year after injury reported poorer emotional health at 2 years after TBI, even after controlling for year 1 outcome scores, sociodemographic characteristics, and injury-related factors. These results support the need to assess for elevated alexithymia and to provide interventions targeting alexithymia early in the TBI recovery process.

Factors associated with self-awareness impairment in an inpatient brain injury rehabilitation cohort.

BACKGROUND: Self-awareness impairment is common following acquired brain injury and can impact rehabilitation outcomes. Knowledge of factors associated with impaired self-awareness may assist with rehabilitation planning. OBJECTIVES: To identify factors associated with self-awareness and determine predictors of self-awareness impairment for adults with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and stroke. DESIGN AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of rehabilitation inpatients was conducted by medical record audit. Self-awareness was measured using the Self-awareness of Deficits Interview (SADI). Relationships between SADI scores and demographic and clinical variables were identified with non-parametric statistics. Predictors of SADI scores were identified using ordinal regression analyses for TBI and stroke groups. RESULTS: Participants were 149 adults (18-70 years) with TBI (n = 110) and stroke (n = 39). For TBI, longer post-traumatic amnesia (PTA), lower functional cognition/communication, and behaviors of concern (BoC) were significantly associated with higher SADI scores (i.e. impaired self-awareness). For stroke, lower functional cognition/communication and motor scores were associated with higher SADI scores. Impaired self-awareness was predicted by PTA duration, acute length of stay and presence of BoC for the TBI group, and by functional cognition/communication for the stroke group. CONCLUSION: Different factors were associated with impaired self-awareness for individuals with TBI and stroke during inpatient rehabilitation.

Association of concussion/brain injury symptoms and diagnosis with mental and social well-being in 2020 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) children.

BACKGROUND: Population-based data regarding the associations between prior concussion or brain injury symptoms/diagnosis and mental/social well-being is lacking for U.S. children. METHODS: Associations between prior concussion or brain injury symptoms/diagnosis (reported by parents of children ages 5-17 from the 2020 National Health Interview Survey) and current mental/social well-being were determined in multivariable models. RESULTS: Amongst 2020 US children, 8.7% and 5.3% had previous symptoms and diagnosis of concussion/brain injury, respectively. 23% of children with symptoms were never checked for a concussion/brain injury, with younger children at higher risk of not getting checked after symptomatic head trauma. Prior concussion or brain injury symptoms/diagnosis was associated with a higher likelihood of current depressive symptoms (odds ratio [OR] = 1.60; 95% CI = 1.21-2.14; p < 0.001), anxiety (OR = 2.07; 95% CI = 1.52-2.82; p < 0.001), difficulty making friends (OR = 1.57; 95% = 1.06-2.33; p = 0.03), use of medications for mental/social/behavioral issues (OR = 1.69; CI = 1.21-2.36; p = 0.002), and mental health therapy/counseling (OR = 1.52; 95% CI = 1.13-2.04; p = 0.006). CONCLUSION: U.S. children with prior concussion or brain injury symptoms/diagnosis have a higher rate of mental and social disturbances and a more frequent need for mental health services. Nearly one-quarter of children with significant symptoms after head trauma are never checked for a concussion/brain injury; routine concussion evaluation after head trauma should be emphasized especially in younger children.