Longitudinal Study of Emotional, Social, and Physical Changes after Traumatic Brain Injury

Abstract

Understanding the nature and course of personality alterations following traumatic brain injury (TBI) is needed for rational planning and effective management of TBI patients' many behavioral and social problems. Therefore, levels of emotional and social adjustment and socially relevant aspects of physical status during the first 5 years posttrauma were documented for 39 male TBI patients at six time intervals using the Portland Adaptability Inventory (PAI), an instrument developed for this study. Responses to 21 items (seven dealing with Temperament and personality, eight with Activities of Social Behavior, and six with Physical Competence) were analyzed for evidence of moderate to severe impairment. Three types of problem areas were identified: (a) those which represented persistent difficulty for many patients throughout the 5-year follow-up period; (b) those in which there was significant improvement that was sustained over time; and (c) those in which there was slight or variable improvement. At 5 years posttrauma, most patients were still socially dysfunctional in one or more ways.