Psychological Transdiagnostic Processes in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Recovery: A Scoping Review

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychology
• Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

• Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is a common condition with diverse recovery trajectories.
• Psychological transdiagnostic processes (TPs) are increasingly recognized as potential factors influencing mental health across disorders.
• Understanding the role of TPs in mTBI recovery is crucial for developing targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the literature on psychological transdiagnostic processes (TPs) investigated in relation to mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) recovery.
• To summarize the methodological approaches used in these investigations.
• To evaluate the consistency of TP and outcome measures in the context of mTBI recovery.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive search of five databases (Ovid MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science) was conducted up to October 2024.
• Eleven TPs were identified based on existing systematic reviews.
• Included studies were peer-reviewed, empirical, in English, involved human participants (≥18 years) with mTBI, and reported TP-mTBI outcome associations.

Main Results:

• Sixty-seven studies (1995-2024) identified 118 TP-outcome associations.
• Avoidance, flexibility, and interpretation bias were most studied TPs; symptom severity and disability were most common outcomes.
• Significant heterogeneity in TP and outcome measurement was noted, with limited investigation of certain TPs (e.g., attentional bias, emotion regulation, perfectionism).

Conclusions:

• While interest in TPs for mTBI recovery is increasing, research currently focuses on a limited set of psychological constructs.
• There is a need for broader investigation of TPs that maintain psychopathology.
• Enhanced methodological consistency in measuring TPs and outcomes is required for advancing mTBI recovery research.