Determining long-term symptoms following mild traumatic brain injury: method of interview affects self-report.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the role played by two interviewing methods used (spontaneous response and suggested response) in the evaluation of long-term subjective post-mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) symptoms.


METHODS
Cohort study.


METHODS
One hundred and eight adult participants were contacted for a follow-up telephone interview 12-36 months after their mTBI. The participants had to firstly spontaneously indicate symptoms that were still present following their mTBI (spontaneous response). Secondly, a list of symptoms was read to the participants and they had to say whether or not they were afflicted by each symptom (suggested response). Paired t-tests were performed to compare the means obtained using the two methods. The percentage of symptoms reported with the two interviewing methods were used to analyse symptom types.


METHODS
None.


RESULTS
Results show that participants reported significantly more symptoms and a given symptom when a list was read to the participants. Furthermore, neither the number of symptoms nor the type of symptoms reported is identical for the two interviewing methods.


CONCLUSIONS
The interviewing method used influences the number and type of long-term post-mTBI symptoms reported by participants.
Nolin
P
P
Department of Psychology, Child and Family Development Research Unit, University of Quebec in Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada. pierre.nolin@uqtr.ca
Villemure
R
R
Heroux
L
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007407:Interviews as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D011594:Psychometrics; D012649:Self Concept