Executive functioning, awareness, and participation in daily life after mild traumatic brain injury: a preliminary study.
OBJECTIVE
We investigated the relationship of executive functioning and self-awareness to participation in daily life of people after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) referred to occupational therapy in the postacute phase.


METHODS
Thirteen participants who sustained mTBI (average time since injury = 4.7 months, mean age = 43.4 years) were evaluated with the Behavioral Assessment of the Dysexecutive Syndrome, the Dysexecutive Questionnaire, the Self-Awareness of Deficits Interview, and the Participation Index (PI) of the Mayo-Portland Adaptability Inventory.


RESULTS
Analysis revealed high frequencies of deficits in executive functions such as planning and shifting. However, self-awareness of the executive deficits was intact. A significant percentage (62%-85%) of participants experienced restrictions in everyday life activities, and PI scores were significantly correlated with measures of executive functioning.


CONCLUSIONS
After mTBI, people may be at significant risk for persistent executive deficits and restrictions in participation that warrant occupational therapy intervention.
Occupational Therapy Department, School of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, Hadassah and Hebrew University, Mount Scopus, PO 24026, Jerusalem 91240 Israel. aaerez@zahav.net.il
Asnat Bar-Haim
AB
Erez
Ettie
E
Rothschild
Noomi
N
Katz
Maya
M
Tuchner
Adina
A
Hartman-Maeir
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D001364:Awareness; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020127:Recovery of Function