A psychological assessment of adolescent and young adult inpatients after traumatic brain injury

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the cognitive, behavioural, depressive and self-awareness disorders, and their relationships, after severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) in adolescent and young adult inpatients. Two groups of patients with (n = 83) and without (n = 103) TBI, aged 14-25 years, hospitalized after severe traumatic pathology, were compared using the clinician's report and self-report. A higher frequency of depressive tendencies in TBI patients than in controls was shown in the clinician's therapeutic attitude (i.e. prescription of antidepressant drugs), the clinician's report and the self-report. The same difference between the two groups was observed for behavioural and schooling problems in the clinician's report, but not in the self-report. Discrepancies between self- and clinician's evaluation were in favour of a lack of self-awareness of behavioural and cognitive disorders among TBI patients. Correlations of depressive mood with anxiety and cognitive complaints were stronger in TBI than in non-TBI patients. Depression in TBI patients seems compatible with some degree of lack of self-awareness of cognitive and behavioural difficulties.