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Cognitive differences between adults with traumatic brain injury and specific learning disorder.
John-Christopher Finley1, Emily F Matusz2, Frederick Parente1
1Department of Psychology, Towson University, Towson, Maryland, USA.
Brain Injury
|February 1, 2021
Summary
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) and specific learning disorder (SLD) impact cognitive functions. Poor performance on visual scanning and processing speed tests, like Trail Making Test Part A, can help differentiate between TBI and SLD diagnoses.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and specific learning disorder (SLD) often exhibit deficits in working memory, attention, and processing speed.
- Limited research has explored the cognitive distinctions between TBI and SLD populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate cognitive differences between adults with TBI and SLD using performance-based tests.
- To determine if processing speed tests alone can effectively differentiate between TBI and SLD.
Main Methods:
- Archival data from 39 adults with moderate-severe TBI and 57 adults with SLD were analyzed.
- Cognitive performance was assessed using the Trail Making Test Parts A and B, Digit Span test, and Symbol Search test.
Main Results:
- Participants with TBI demonstrated significantly poorer performance on the Trail Making Test Part A and the Symbol Search test compared to those with SLD.
- Logistic regression identified the Trail Making Test Part A as the most sensitive measure for discriminating between TBI and SLD.
Conclusions:
- Impaired visual scanning and processing speed are indicative of moderate-severe TBI when compared to SLD.
- These findings can inform clinical diagnosis and guide treatment planning for individuals with TBI and SLD.
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