Factor analysis of the neurobehavioral symptom inventory in veterans with PTSD and no history of mild TBI

Abstract

It is well established that long-term postconcussive symptoms following a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) are associated with underlying physical, emotional, and behavioral conditions. The Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory (NSI) is a measure used to assess neurobehavioral symptoms that can occur following a mTBI and has demonstrated a 3- or 4-factor structure in veterans. The present study aimed to investigate the factor structure of veterans with PTSD without a history of mTBI. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted on a sample of 221 treatment-seeking veterans and service members with PTSD and without a history of mTBI. Results supported a 4-factor structure comprised of vestibular, somatic, cognitive, and affective domains in veterans with PTSD. Subsequent, correlational analyses between the four NSI factors and the four subscales of the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist – Fifth Edition (PCL-5) revealed high correspondence between the cognitive and affective factors of the NSI and the negative alterations in mood and cognitions and hyperarousal symptom subscales of PTSD. Collectively, findings demonstrated that the NSI functions similarly in veterans with PTSD with or without a history of mTBI. Findings suggest that neurobehavioral symptoms assessed by the NSI appear to be nonspecific and not explicitly associated with mTBI.

Keywords:

• Neurobehavioral symptom inventory
• neurobehavioral symptoms
• posttraumatic stress disorder
• veterans

Author note

The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health, Wounded Warrior Project, or any other funding agency. All other authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

Philip Held is supported by a career development award from the National Institute of Health’s National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences [KL2 TR002387] and receives grant support from Wounded Warrior Project and RTI International.