title: Adolescents' internalizing problems following traumatic brain injury are related to parents' psychiatric symptoms.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A small body of previous research has demonstrated that pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) increases risk for internalizing problems, but findings have varied regarding their predictors and correlates.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined the level and correlates of internalizing symptoms in 130 teens who had sustained a complicated mild to severe TBI within the past 1 to 6 months. Internalizing problems were measured via both maternal- and paternal-report Child Behavior Checklist. We also measured family functioning, parent psychiatric symptoms, and postinjury teen neurocognitive function.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean parental ratings of internalizing problems were within the normal range. Depending on informant, 22% to 26% of the sample demonstrated clinically elevated internalizing problems. In multiple and binary logistic regression models, only parent psychiatric symptoms consistently provided unique prediction of teen internalizing symptoms. For maternal but not paternal report, female gender was associated with greater internalizing problems.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Parent and teen emotional problems are associated following adolescent TBI. Possible reasons for this relationship, including the effects of TBI on the family unit, are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, Colorado (Dr Peterson); Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Children's Hospital Colorado and University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado (Dr Kirkwood); Department of Pediatrics, Case Western Reserve University, Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio (Dr Taylor); Department of Psychiatry, MetroHealth Medical Center and Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio (Dr Stancin); Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota (Dr Brown); and Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio (Dr Wade).
authors.forename: Robin L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.forename: Michael W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Kirkwood
authors.forename: H Gerry
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Terry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Stancin
authors.forename: Tanya M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Shari L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Wade
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D000328:Adult; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D011379:Prognosis; D011594:Psychometrics; D018570:Risk Assessment