RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN STRESS, COPING, AND POSTCONCUSSION SYMPTOMS IN AHEALTHY ADULT-POPULATION

Study 1 examined the association between intensity of postconcussive s ymptoms (PCS), impact of daily stress, and level of perceived stress o rder the past month in a group of healthy young adults. There was a si gnificant relationship between intensity of PCS and impact of daily sl ,ess, as well as level of perceived stress over the past month, indepe ndent of the frequency of stressful events experienced. Study 2 assess ed the stability of the relationship between PCS nan stress. Subjects rated intensity of PCS, impact of daily stress, and level of perceived stress on two separate occasions approximately 1 month apart. The Per ceived Stress Scale demonstrated high test-retest reliability. Signifi cant relationships were again found between intensity of PCS wild leve l of perceived slr ess at both lime points, independent of the frequen cy of stressful events. These results suggest that persistent symptoms in some individuals with postconcussive syndrome may be doe, at least in parr, to individual differences in the perceived stress of incurri ng a mild traumatic brain injury. (C) 1998 National Academy of Neurops ychology. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.