title: The effect of education type on common misconceptions of traumatic brain injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In the current study, we investigated the effects of existing education materials-either a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) factsheet or personal stories of people with TBI-on undergraduate students' misconceptions and attributions about the causes of TBI-related behavior.
  
  
  METHODS
  Undergraduate students (N = 164) were recruited through the university participant pool. The participants were randomly assigned to receive either a factsheet about TBI, personal stories of people with TBI, or a control reading. Groups were compared on the number of TBI misconceptions endorsed, scores on an attribution measure, and their willingness to interact with people who have TBIs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both the TBI factsheet group and the personal stories group endorsed fewer misconceptions, on average, than the control group (p = .02). Additionally, those who read either the personal stories or the factsheet had significantly lower attribution scores, on average, than the control group (p = .001; p = .03). That is, those who read either of the educational materials were more likely to endorse a TBI explanation over an adolescent explanation, compared to those who read a control reading. The groups did not significantly differ on their willingness for social interaction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results suggest that, on average, factsheets and personal stories are effective for increasing knowledge about moderate-to-severe TBI as compared to a control group. Personal stories and factsheets may also be useful, on average, for addressing tendencies to discount TBIs as explanations for behavioral change, as compared to a control group. (PsycINFO Database Record
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Seton Hall University.
authors.forename: Monica L
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-3835-9831
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: De Iorio
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Seton Hall University.
authors.forename: Susan A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Nolan
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Seton Hall University.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Teague
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D000070642:Brain Injuries, Traumatic / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D010174:Pamphlets; D063545:Personal Narratives as Topic; D057545:Social Stigma; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult