Citation

Raj SP, Wade SL, Cassedy A, Taylor HG, Stancin T, Brown TM, Kirkwood MW. J. Pediatr. Psychol. 2014; 39(1): 84-95.

Affiliation

Division of Pediatric Rehabilitation, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Department of Psychology, Miami University, Division of Pediatric Rehabilitation, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, Case Western Reserve University, Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry, MetroHealth Medical Center and Case Western Reserve University, Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, and Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Children's Hospital Colorado and University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Oxford University Press)

DOI

10.1093/jpepsy/jst075

PMID

24065551

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Adolescents sustaining traumatic brain injury (TBI) show increased prevalence of behavior problems. This study investigated the associations of parent mental health, family functioning, and parent-adolescent interaction with adolescent externalizing behavior problems in the initial months after TBI, and examined whether injury severity moderated these associations.

METHODS: 117 parent-adolescent dyads completed measures of family functioning, adolescent behavior, and parent mental health an average of 108 days post-TBI. Dyads also engaged in a 10-min video-recorded problem-solving activity coded for parent behavior and tone of interaction.

RESULTS: Overall, higher ratings of effective parent communication were associated with fewer externalizing behavior problems, whereas poorer caregiver psychological functioning was associated with greater adolescent externalizing behaviors. Results failed to reveal moderating effects of TBI severity on the relationship between socio-environmental factors and behavior problems.

CONCLUSIONS: Interventions targeting parent communication and/or improving caregiver psychological health may ameliorate potential externalizing behavior problems after adolescent TBI.

Language: en