Posttraumatic stress symptoms in recovery from concussion

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychology
• Sports Medicine

Background:

• Lingering concussion symptoms may be influenced by psychological factors.
• The relationship between posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) during recovery and pre-existing/injury-related factors is not fully understood.
• Identifying factors contributing to PTSS can improve post-concussion treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the predictors of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) during concussion recovery.
• To analyze preinjury emotional history, injury-related factors, and initial emotional state as predictors of PTSS.
• To understand the role of psychological factors in concussion symptomology.

Main Methods:

• 287 participants (aged 13-75) diagnosed with recent concussion were included.
• Preinjury emotional history, injury factors, and initial emotional state were analyzed.
• The Post-Traumatic Stress Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) was used to assess PTSS during recovery.

Main Results:

• 61% of participants reported at least one PTSS.
• Initial symptom severity on the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool 5 (SCAT5) correlated with anxiety (GAD-7) and depression (PHQ-8) scores.
• Initial SCAT5 emotional severity, PHQ-8, and GAD-7 scores predicted PTSS severity at follow-up (R² = 0.554).

Conclusions:

• Anxiety and depression symptoms, along with SCAT5 emotional symptoms at initial evaluation, predict PTSS levels and risk during recovery.
• PTSS represents a significant dimension of response to concussion injury.
• Clinicians can use brief assessments like SCAT5 during initial evaluations to identify individuals at risk for PTSS.