Getting Back to Work: Cognitive-Communicative Predictors for Work Re-entry Following Traumatic Brain Injury

This study aimed at identifying the cognitive-communicative predictors for work re-entry following TBI. Thirty patients with TBI employed pre morbidly were categorized into two groups- ‘14’ employed and ‘16’ unemployed post TBI. Those having sustained mild, moderate or severe head injury and in the post injury period of 6–48 months were recruited and majority belonged to skilled/ professional type of premorbid occupational status. They underwent a detailed assessment of cognition, language and communication using NIMHANS Neuropsychology Battery, Indian adapted versions of Western Aphasia Battery and La Trobe Communication Questionnaire (LCQ) respectively. Patients employed post TBI had better Aphasia Quotient (AQ) and better performance on all the cognitive domain s and few domains of LCQ than those who remained unemployed. On step-wise Discriminant Function Analysis (DFA), injury severity and AQ could significantly differentiate between the two groups with an overall accuracy of 80%. Severity of head injury is a significant predictor for employability post T BI and evaluation of language along with cognitive abilities is crucial for patients with TBI for work re-entry. The study highlights the importance of a multi-disciplinary team in the assessment and management of cognitive-communication impairments following a TBI.
Source: Journal of Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Mental Health - Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research