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Mood and anxiety symptoms following pediatric mild traumatic brain injury: a scoping review
1Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta.
Insights
Children with mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI) are more likely to experience mood and anxiety symptoms. Factors like injury type, age, sex, and socioeconomic status influence symptom development in pediatric mTBI.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric neurology
- Child psychology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Thousands of children worldwide experience mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI) annually.
- Post-mTBI symptoms in children can include mood disturbances, headaches, and pain.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review existing literature on mood and anxiety symptoms after pediatric mTBI.
- To identify research gaps in this area.
Main Methods:
- A scoping review of published articles was conducted.
- Searches were performed in Pubmed, EMBase, and APA PsycINFO databases.
- Studies focusing on mood and anxiety in children and adolescents post-mTBI were included.
Main Results:
- 20 articles were included in the review.
- Children and adolescents with mTBI show higher rates of mood and anxiety symptoms compared to controls.
- Contributing factors include injury characteristics, older age, female sex, lower socioeconomic status, and family psychiatric history.
Conclusions:
- Further research is needed to understand the link between pediatric mTBI and mood/anxiety symptoms.
- Long-term prospective studies with control groups and neuroimaging are recommended.
- Distinguishing complicated from uncomplicated mTBI is crucial.
Background:
Thousands of children sustain mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI) worldwide each year. Multiple physical and somatic symptoms can occur following pediatric mTBI, including new-onset mood symptoms, headaches, and pain.
Objective:
This scoping review examined the existing literature pertaining to mood and anxiety symptoms following pediatric mTBI, in order to summarize the current evidence and identify areas for future research.
Methods:
The Pubmed, EMBase, and APA PsycINFO databases were searched to identify articles that examined mood and anxiety symptoms in children and adolescents following mTBI.
Results:
A total of 20 published articles were included in the review. The existing research suggests that mood and anxiety symptoms are more common in children and adolescents with mTBI, when compared to orthopedically injured or healthy controls. Several factors may contribute to the development of these symptoms: injury characteristics, older age at injury, female sex, and psychosocial variables including lower socioeconomic status and family history of psychiatric disorders.
Conclusion:
The findings of this review highlight the need for additional research on the relationship between pediatric mTBI and subsequent mood and anxiety symptoms. We particularly recommend long-term prospective cohort studies which include appropriate control groups as well as a neuroimaging component to distinguish complicated from uncomplicated mTBI.
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