title: Assessment method influences the severity and type of symptoms reported after self-reported mild traumatic brain injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the influence of assessment method (spontaneous report versus checklist) on the report of postconcussive syndrome (PCS) symptoms after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI).
  
  
  METHODS
  Community.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-six participants (58% female) with postacute self-reported mTBI (i.e., sustained 1-6 months prior to participation) and 36 age-, gender-, and ethnicity-matched controls with no history of mTBI.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional.
  
  
  METHODS
  Spontaneous symptom report from open-ended questions and checklist endorsed symptoms from the Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory (both measures administered online).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Assessment method significantly affected individual symptom item frequencies (small to large effects), the number of symptoms reported, the total severity score, domain severity scores (i.e., somatic/sensory, cognitive, and affective symptom domains), and the number of participants who met a PCS caseness criterion (large effects; checklist > spontaneous report). The types of symptoms that were different between the groups differed for the assessment methods: Compared to controls, the nonclinical mTBI group spontaneously reported significantly greater somatic/sensory and cognitive domain severity scores, whilst no domain severity scores differed between groups when endorsed on a checklist.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Assessment method can alter the number, severity, and types of symptoms reported by individuals who have sustained an mTBI and could potentially influence clinical decisions.
authors.affiliation: a Clinical Neuropsychology Research Group, School of Psychology and Counselling , Queensland University of Technology , Brisbane , QLD , Australia.
authors.forename: Shannon L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Edmed
authors.forename: Karen A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Sullivan
authors.forename: Alicia C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Allan
authors.forename: Simon S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D057189:Checklist / Q000592:standards*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D038223:Post-Concussion Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D057566:Self Report / Q000592:standards*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Assessment; Concussion; Head injuries; Mild traumatic brain injury; Neurobehavioral symptom inventory; Postconcussive syndrome; Self-report symptoms; Subjective symptoms