title: The UCLA study of Predictors of Cognitive Functioning Following Moderate/Severe Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Following pediatric moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (msTBI), few predictors have been identified that can reliably identify which individuals are at risk for long-term cognitive difficulties. This study sought to determine the relative contribution of detailed descriptors of injury severity as well as demographic and psychosocial factors to long-term cognitive outcomes after pediatric msTBI.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants included 8- to 19-year-olds, 46 with msTBI and 53 uninjured healthy controls (HC). Assessments were conducted in the post-acute and chronic stages of recovery. Medical record review provided details regarding acute injury severity. Parents also completed a measure of premorbid functioning and behavioral problems. The outcome of interest was four neurocognitive measures sensitive to msTBI combined to create an index of cognitive performance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results indicated that none of the detailed descriptors of acute injury severity predicted cognitive performance. Only the occurrence of injury, parental education, and premorbid academic competence predicted post-acute cognitive functioning. Long-term cognitive outcomes were best predicted by post-acute cognitive functioning.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings suggest that premorbid factors influence cognitive outcomes nearly as much as the occurrence of a msTBI. Furthermore, of youth with msTBI who initially recover to a level of moderate disability or better, a brief cognitive battery administered within several months after injury can best predict which individuals will experience poor long-term cognitive outcomes and require additional services.
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Health,University of California,Los Angeles,California.
authors.forename: Lisa M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Moran
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Health,University of California,Los Angeles,California.
authors.forename: Talin
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Babikian
authors.affiliation: 3Department of Psychology,University of Southern California,Los Angeles,California.
authors.forename: Larissa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Del Piero
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Health,University of California,Los Angeles,California.
authors.forename: Monica U
authors.initials: MU
authors.lastname: Ellis
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Health,University of California,Los Angeles,California.
authors.forename: Claudia L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Kernan
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Health,University of California,Los Angeles,California.
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Newman
authors.affiliation: 2Department of Pediatrics, University of California,Los Angeles,California.
authors.forename: Christopher C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Giza
authors.affiliation: 7Department of Pediatrics,Los Angeles County & Harbor University of California,Los Angeles,California.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mink
authors.affiliation: 8Department of Pediatrics,Los Angeles County & University of Southern California Medical Center,Los Angeles,California.
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.affiliation: 9Department of Pediatrics,Miller Children's Hospital,Long Beach,California.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Babbitt
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Health,University of California,Los Angeles,California.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Asarnow
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000070642:Brain Injuries, Traumatic / Q000150:complications*; D002648:Child; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010372:Pediatrics; D011594:Psychometrics; D012372:ROC Curve; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Adolescents; Brain Injury; Children; Cognitive Symptoms; Longitudinal Studies; Neuropsychological Tests; Psychometrics