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Prevalence of aggressive behaviour after severe paediatric traumatic brain injury

Wesley R Cole1, Joan P Gerring, Robert M Gray

  • 1Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD 21202, USA.

Brain Injury
|November 14, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Aggressive behavior is common after severe pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI). Pre-injury issues like attention problems and anxiety predict increased aggression one year post-TBI.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Pediatric Psychology
  • Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

  • Severe pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) can lead to significant long-term behavioral changes.
  • Aggressive behaviors are a concerning outcome that can hinder a child's recovery and reintegration.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of aggressive behaviors following severe pediatric TBI.
  • To identify predictors of aggression one year after severe TBI in children.

Main Methods:

  • A prospective cohort study followed 97 children (aged 4-19) with severe TBI (GCS 3-8) for one year.
  • Pre-injury psychiatric status was assessed retrospectively, and post-injury aggression was measured using the Overt Aggression Scale (OAS) at one year.

Main Results:

  • Aggressive behavior significantly increased from pre-injury to post-injury levels.
  • Pre-injury factors such as aggression, attention problems, and anxiety were associated with higher post-injury aggression.
  • Greater functional disability after TBI also correlated with an increased risk of aggressive behaviors.

Conclusions:

  • Aggression is a prevalent and challenging symptom in pediatric TBI survivors.
  • Identifying pre-injury risk factors and post-injury disability can help in early detection of children prone to aggression.
  • This knowledge is crucial for tailoring rehabilitation programs to address and mitigate aggressive behaviors effectively.
Abstract

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