title: Coping behaviour following traumatic brain injury: what makes a planner plan and an avoider avoid?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Avoidant coping has consistently been related to negative outcomes following traumatic brain injury (TBI), although the mechanisms of this relationship are not clear. A recent study demonstrated that people with moderate-to-severe TBI engaged in more avoidant than planful coping behaviour during a psychosocial stress test, while their matched healthy counterparts engaged in the opposite pattern. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the neuropsychological, physiological and psychological differences between planners and avoiders with TBI.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighteen people with moderate-to-severe TBI completed the Baycrest Psychosocial Stress Test (BPST) where coping behaviour was evaluated and physiological measures recorded. Participants also completed a series of questionnaires and a neuropsychological test battery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to avoiders, planners had better executive function, were more psychologically and physiologically reactive and performed better on the BPST. Dysfunction on tests assessing executive abilities was the best predictor of avoidant coping, while physiological and psychological reactivity were the best predictors of planful coping.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study is the first to document differences between planners and avoiders with TBI. Understanding the determinants of coping following TBI will allow for more sophisticated and targeted rehabilitative intervention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: Katherine M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Krpan
authors.forename: Donald T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Stuss
authors.forename: Nicole D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Anderson
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D005712:Galvanic Skin Response; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012919:Social Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States