Mild Traumatic Brain Injury and Resilience

In this prospective longitudinal study, 67 patients with mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) and 34 orthopedic controls completed the Resilience Scale, Beck Depression Inventory-Second Edition, and Pain subscale from Ruff Neurobehavioral Inventory one month after injury and Barrow Neurological Institute Fatigue Scale one and six months after injury.

Insomnia, pain, and depressive symptoms were significantly correlated with fatigue, but even when these variables were controlled for, resilience significantly predicted the change in fatigue one and six months after MTBI. In patients with MTBI, the correlation between resilience and fatigue strengthened during follow-up. In controls, significant associations between resilience and fatigue were not found.

The investigators concluded that resilience is a significant predictor of decrease in self-reported fatigue after MTBI along with previously established associated factors (Insomnia, pain, and depressive symptoms).

Reference:

Losoi, H. Waljas M, Turunen S, Brander A, Helminen M, Luoto TM, Rosti-Otajarvi E, Julkunen J, Ohman J. (2014). Resilience is associated with fatigue after mild traumatic brain injury. Journal of Head and Trauma Rehabilitation, May 16.