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Abstract
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OBJECTIVE: This study examined subjective and objective cognitive functioning among women survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) with a history of repetitive mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), hypothesizing they would have elevated subjective cognitive complaints and lower objective cognitive test performances compared to national norms.
METHOD: Women were recruited from a domestic violence shelter (N = 16; M = 39.8 ± 7.9 years-old) and completed the Neurological Quality-of-Life Cognitive Function questionnaire (Neuro-QoL-CF), Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery (NIHTB-CB), and Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS) Trail Making and Verbal Fluency tests. One-sample t-tests compared mean scores against national norms for the Neuro-QoL-CF, RAVLT trials 1-5 and delayed recall, NIHTB-CB Crystallized-Fluid difference score, and D-KEFS composite index score.
RESULTS: Nearly all women (81.3%) reported elevated subjective cognitive concerns on the Neuro-QoL-CF, significantly greater than the national average, t = 10.50, p < 0.001, d = 2.62. RAVLT learning, t = 5.41, p < 0.001, d = -1.35, and delayed recall, t = 4.54, p < 0.001, d = -1.28, were significantly lower than the national average. NIHTB-CB difference scores were significantly higher than the national average, t = 5.23, p < 0.001, d = 1.14, indicating worse fluid cognition than anticipated compared to estimated premorbid functioning. Mean D-KEFS composite scores were comparable to national norms, t = 0.73, p = 0.474, d = 0.18.
CONCLUSIONS: Women survivors of IPV with repetitive mTBI history had greater subjective cognitive concerns and lower cognitive test performances compared to national norms, indicating cognitive health needs in this population. These findings may be attributable to repetitive mTBI or other neurobehavioral variables that may affect this population, including concurrent physical conditions (e.g., headache), mental illness, chronic pain, substance use, or a combination thereof.
Language: en |