OBJECTIVE: To identify sex-based differences in self- and other-reported perceptions of communication behaviors in adults with traumatic brain injury (TBI).
DESIGN: Between-groups comparison of questionnaire data from men and women with TBI and their close others. SETTING: University academic department. PARTICIPANTS: 160 adults with medically documented TBI and 81 adults without TBI (Control Group). INTERVENTION: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: LaTrobe Communication Questionnaire, a standardized measure of communication problems in everyday life.
RESULTS: Participants with TBI endorsed more communication problems compared to normal controls (p<.001). There were no significant differences in self-ratings (p=.20) or in the ratings of close others (p=.09) of communication behaviors of men with TBI compared to women with TBI. There was no difference between the self-ratings of women with TBI and their close others (p=.59). However, men with TBI significantly under-reported communication problems compared to reports of close others (p<.001).
CONCLUSIONS: Women with TBI might be more accurate than men with TBI in recognizing their own pragmatic communication problems.