Executive functioning in relation to coping in mild versus moderate-severe traumatic brain injury

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychology
• Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

• Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can lead to chronic executive functioning (EF) deficits.
• Understanding the relationship between EF and coping strategies is crucial for rehabilitation.
• Coping styles may differ based on TBI severity in the chronic phase.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the associations between executive functioning and coping styles.
• To differentiate these associations in mild TBI versus moderate-severe TBI.
• To explore these relationships in the chronic phase post-TBI.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study including patients with mild TBI (n=47), moderate-severe TBI (n=59), and healthy controls (n=51).
• Executive functioning was assessed using the Trail Making Test, Zoo Map Test, and Controlled Oral Word Association Test.
• Self-reported and proxy-reported executive functioning (Dysexecutive Questionnaire) and coping styles (Utrecht Coping List) were evaluated.

Main Results:

• Moderate-severe TBI patients exhibited more EF deficits and higher passive coping than mild TBI patients and controls.
• Self-reported EF problems correlated with lower active coping and higher passive coping in both mild and moderate-severe TBI groups.
• Proxy-reported EF problems in moderate-severe TBI were associated with lower active coping; in mild TBI, they related to higher passive coping.

Conclusions:

• Reported executive functioning problems in daily life are strongly associated with coping styles post-TBI.
• For moderate-severe TBI, proxy reports may indicate EF impairments affecting problem-solving.
• EF problems in TBI may also reflect psychological distress influencing coping with demanding situations.