Article

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is not uncommon among Operation Iraqi
Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom (OIF/OEF) veterans, and many individuals
within this group report lingering cognitive difficulties following their injury.
For Department of Veterans Affairs clinicians, an accurate assessment of
cognitive symptoms is important in providing appropriate clinical care. Although
self-assessment is commonly employed to screen for difficulties in cognitive
functioning, little is known about the accuracy of self-report in this
population. This study collected cognitive, psychiatric, and self-report data
from 105 OIF/OEF veterans with mTBI to examine the relationship between
self-reported cognitive functioning and objective neuropsychological test
performance. Additionally, clinicians who frequently work with OIF/OEF veterans
were asked to predict the magnitude of these associations. Self-reported
cognitive functioning was not significantly correlated with objective cognitive
abilities, suggesting that objective neuropsychological testing should be used
when cognitive weakness is suspected. Perceived cognitive deficits were
associated with depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder,
illustrating the additional importance of adequate assessment and treatment of
psychiatric symptoms. Clinicians tended to overestimate the association between
self-report and test performance.

Langue : ANGLAIS