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Published on: January 30, 2018
Self-Awareness and Self-Ratings of On-Road Driving Performance After Traumatic Brain Injury
James R Gooden1, Jennie L Ponsford, Judith L Charlton
1School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia (Drs Gooden, Ponsford, and Stolwyk); Monash Epworth Rehabilitation Research Centre, Victoria, Australia (Dr Ponsford); Monash University Accident Research Centre, Monash University, Victoria, Australia (Dr Charlton); Epworth Rehabilitation, Victoria, Australia (Ms Ross); Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (Dr Marshall); School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (Dr Gagnon); Centre for Research and Safe Driving, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada (Dr Bédard).
Objective:
To examine self-rated, clinician-rated, and self-awareness of on-road driving performance in individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) deemed fit and unfit to resume driving and healthy controls, and to explore their associations with demographic, injury, cognitive, and mood variables.
Methods:
Participants included 37 individuals with moderate to severe TBI, and 49 healthy age, sex, and education-matched controls from Australia and Canada. Participants completed an on-road assessment, the Brain Injury Driving Self-Awareness Measure (BIDSAM), and a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment.
Results:
Awareness scores on the BIDSAM were significantly different between groups, F(2, 83) = 28.44 (P < .001; η = 0.41), with post hoc tests indicating TBI participants who failed the on-road assessment had worse scores compared with those who passed and controls. Poor self-awareness was significantly correlated with reduced psychomotor speed (rs = -0.37; P < .01) and attentional switching (rs = 0.28; P < .01). Worse self-ratings of driving were associated with depression (rs = 0.42; P < .01) and anxiety (rs = 0.38; P < .01).
Conclusions:
Individuals with TBI who failed an on-road assessment significantly overestimated their driving ability. Impaired cognitive function was associated with reduced self-awareness of driving. These findings suggest impaired awareness of driving may need to be addressed as part of driver rehabilitation programs.
