Social and Behavioral Outcomes following Childhood Traumatic Brain Injury: What Predicts Outcome at 12 Months Post-Insult?
This study sought to investigate social and behavioral outcomes 12 months following childhood traumatic brain injury (TBI) and to identify predictors of these outcomes. The study also compared rates of impairment in social and behavioral outcomes at 12 months post-injury between children with TBI and a typically developing (TD) control group. The study comprised 114 children ages 5.5 to 16.0 years, 79 with mild, moderate, or severe TBI and 35 TD children, group-matched for age, sex and socio-economic status. Children with TBI were recruited via consecutive hospital admissions and TD children from the community. Social and behavioral outcomes were measured via parent-rated questionnaires. Analysis of covariance models identified a significant mean difference between the mild and moderate groups for social problems only, but the moderate and severe TBI groups showed a higher rate of impairment, particularly in externalizing problems. Pre-injury function, injury severity, parent mental health, and child self-esteem all contributed significantly to predicting social and behavioral outcomes. Both injury and non-injury factors should be considered when identifying children at risk for long-term difficulties in social and behavioral domains.
1 Murdoch Children's Research Institute , Victoria, Australia .
Cathy
C
Catroppa
1 Murdoch Children's Research Institute , Victoria, Australia .
Stephen
S
Hearps
1 Murdoch Children's Research Institute , Victoria, Australia .
Louise
L
Crossley
2 Yeates, Keith; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute , Calgary, Alberta, Canada .
Keith
K
Yeates
3 Department of Psychology, University of Montreal , Montreal, Quebec, Canada .
Miriam
M
Beauchamp
4 Royal Melbourne Hospital , Melbourne, Australia .
Jessica
J
Fusella
1 Murdoch Children's Research Institute , Victoria, Australia .|5 Department of Psychology, Royal Children's Hospital , Melbourne, Australia .|6 Department of Psychological Sciences and Pediatrics, University of Melbourne , Melbourne, Australia .
Vicki
V
Anderson
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D001924:Brain Concussion / Q000503:physiopathology; D000070642:Brain Injuries, Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D000066553:Problem Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D011379:Prognosis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012919:Social Behavior
behavioral; brain injury; children; predictors; social