Abstract
Background: A minority of patients with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) experience a persistent symptom complex also known as post-concussion syndrome. Explanations for this syndrome are still lacking. Objective: To investigate if the fear avoidance model, including catastrophizing thoughts and fear avoidance behaviour, poses a possible biopsychosocial explanation for lingering symptoms and delay in recovery after traumatic brain injury (TBI) with special focus on mTBI. Design: Cross-sectional study. Participants: 48 patients with TBI, of which 31 patients with mTBI, had persistent symptoms (mean time since injury 48.2 months); 92% of the entire sample fulfilled the criteria for post-concussion syndrome. Outcome variables: catastrophizing, fear-avoidance, depression and post-concussion symptoms. Results: High levels of catastrophizing were found in 10% and high levels of fear avoidance behaviour were found in 35%. Catastrophizing, fear avoidance behaviour, depressive symptoms and post-concussion symptoms correlated significantly with each other (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The fear-avoidance model proposes a possible explanation for persistent symptoms. Validation and normative data are needed for suitable measures of catastrophizing and fear avoidance of post-concussion symptoms after TBI. Longitudinal prospective cohort studies are needed to establish its causal and explanatory nature.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 1597-1604 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Brain Injury |
Volume | 31 |
Issue number | 12 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 5 Oct 2017 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Catastrophizing
- chronic phase
- fear avoidance behaviour
- persistent symptoms
- post concussional syndrome
- Traumatic brain injury