Citation

Beadle EJ, Ownsworth T, Fleming J, Shum DHK. J. Head Trauma Rehabil. 2018; 33(5): E42-E50.

Affiliation

School of Applied Psychology, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Mt Gravatt, Queensland, Australia (Drs Beadle, Ownsworth, and Shum); School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia (Dr Fleming); and Occupational Therapy Department, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Wooloongabba, Australia (Dr Fleming).

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/HTR.0000000000000360

PMID

29194178

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) often make unfavorable comparisons between their preinjury and postinjury selves. Although it is known that negative "self-discrepancy" is related to poorer emotional adjustment, the impact of neurocognitive function on self-discrepancy is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between current neurocognitive function (attention, memory, executive function, and self-awareness) and self-discrepancy after severe TBI.

DESIGN: Fifty-four adults with severe TBI were recruited from outpatient and community rehabilitation services and completed measures of self-discrepancy (Head Injury Semantic Differential Scale-III) and self-awareness (Awareness Questionnaire) and a battery of standardized tests of attention, memory, and executive functions.

RESULTS: More negative self-discrepancy was significantly associated with greater self-awareness (r = -0.40, P <.001) and better performance on tests of immediate memory (r = -0.43, P <.01), working memory (r = -0.35, P <.05), and verbal fluency (r = -0.34, P <.05). Self-awareness was the only neurocognitive factor significantly and uniquely related to self-discrepancy, accounting for 8.6% of the variance (P <.05). Furthermore, self-awareness was found to partially mediate the relationship between immediate memory and self-discrepancy.

CONCLUSION: Better neurocognitive function is related to more negative self-discrepancy. These findings improve understanding of the process of identity reconstruction following TBI.

Language: en