Myths and Misconceptions About Traumatic Brain Injury: Endorsements by School Psychologists

Abstract

This study was conducted to assess the perceptions of school psychologists regarding myths and misconceptions pertaining to traumatic brain injury (TBI). A sample of 304 school psychologists in the state of North Carolina was surveyed on 11 common myths and misconceptions about TBI. Results indicated that this group performed significantly better than the lay public on 6 of the items, although rates of endorsement were quite high on items related to injury mechanisms and recovery. Education, years of practice, previous training in TBI, and age had little effect on these findings. These findings support the need for additional training for school psychologists on TBI issues, and raise concerns about how students with TBI are being managed in the classroom setting.