BEHAVIOR-DESCRIPTIVE DATA ON COGNITIVE, PERSONALITY, AND SOMATIC RESIDUA AFTER RELATIVELY MILD BRAIN TRAUMA - STUDYING THE SYNDROME AS A WHOLE

Protracted symptomatology in some victims of mild traumatic brain inju ry (MTBI) continues to puzzle researchers. This study endeavors to dem onstrate that all aspects of the syndrome - cognitive, physical, perso nal/psychosocial, and situational - must be considered along with thei r nonlinear interaction, for resolving the issue and advancing our und erstanding of the disorder's dual etiology. The sample consisted of 21 MTBI patients referred for clinical-neuropsychologic evaluation. The Grounded Theory model was followed for data generation and retrospecti ve analysis of records. Raw-score profiles, consisting of self-reports and reports of reliable observers tabulated on 20 behavioral categori es of cognitive, personality, and somatic dysfunction, were studied ag ainst the background of biographical and situational information. The individually specific meaning of profile variables in the context of t heir interaction with personality and life-situational factors (as unc overed through comparative analysis of pre- and post-injury functionin g) was portrayed in excerpts from case studies. Copyright (C) 1996 Nat ional Academy of Neuropsychology