Neuropsychological, Psychosocial, and Mood Outcomes Following Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) in adolescents and adults can result in cognitive, emotional, behavioral and neurological deficits that can persist more than a year after an injury. The aim of the current preliminary study was to use a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment to determine the nature of cognitive impairments and their relationship with specific psychosocial factors, including coping skills and perceived quality of life, following mild TBI (mTBI). Neuropsychological tests administered measured intelligence, pre-morbid intelligence, executive functioning, verbal memory, complex visual construction and non-verbal memory, sustained attention distractibility, and vigilance, verbal learning and memory, fine motor speed, and novel problem solving and executive functioning. Psychological and life satisfaction measures assessed perceived quality of life, coping style, anxiety, and depression. MTBI subjects showed decreased attention, verbal and non-verbal memory, quality of life, and increased depression and anxiety when compared with healthy controls. Additionally, it was found that quality of life mediated the relationship between head injury and depression, anxiety, and attention. These findings may suggest that psychotherapy interventions may be able to improve quality of life and aspects of cognition following TBI.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts (MA)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Year

2011

Author dc:creator

• Evans, Julia L.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Ropacki, Susan A.
• Bartnik-Olson, Brenda
• Vermeersch, David A.

• Clinical Psychology
• Clinical Psychology; Brain Injuries; Depression; Cognition
• Traumatic Brain Injury
• Mood Outcomes
• Cognitive Impairment
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Attention Span

Statement dc:rights

• This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/29

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarsrepository.llu.edu:etd-1028