title: Preinjury coping, emotional functioning, and quality of life following uncomplicated and complicated mild traumatic brain injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify preinjury coping profiles among adults with uncomplicated mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and complicated mTBI and to determine whether preinjury coping profiles contribute to the prediction of emotional functioning and quality of life (QOL) 3 months post-mTBI.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred eighty-seven persons with medically documented mTBI (uncomplicated mTBI, n = 89; complicated mTBI, n = 98) were recruited from the emergency center of a level I trauma center and followed in community 3 months post-mTBI.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Ways of Coping Questionnaire was administered within 2 weeks of injury. Cluster analysis was used to group participants on basis of their preinjury use of problem-focused and avoidant coping strategies. The Brief Symptom Inventory and the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey were administered 3 months postinjury.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cluster analysis distinguished 3 distinct preinjury coping profiles that were differentially associated with outcomes. Participants who used avoidant coping showed the worse emotional functioning and QOL outcomes, although this cluster also reported high usage of problem-focused strategies. Preinjury coping profiles explained a significant proportion of the variance in depression, anxiety, and mental health QOL at 3 months postinjury beyond that accounted for by demographic characteristics and mTBI severity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cluster analysis holds practical value in illustrating the pattern of coping strategies used by person with uncomplicated and complicated mTBI. It appears worthwhile to address coping in future trials of interventions that are aimed at improving emotional functioning after mTBI.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Baylor College of Medicine (Drs Maestas, Clark, van Veldhoven, Struchen, and Sherer), Brain Injury Research Center, TIRR Memorial Hermann (Drs Maestas, Sander, Clark, van Veldhoven, Struchen, and Sherer), Departments of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (Dr Sander) and Neurosurgery (Dr Hannay), Baylor College of Medicine/Harris Health System, and Department of Psychology, University of Houston (Dr Hannay), Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: Kacey Little
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Maestas
authors.forename: Angelle M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Sander
authors.forename: Allison N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: Laura M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: van Veldhoven
authors.forename: Margaret A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Struchen
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sherer
authors.forename: H Julia
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Hannay
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000523:psychology*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D015600:Glasgow Coma Scale; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D063868:Patient Outcome Assessment; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires