Predicting vocational and independence status from early assessment of motor, cognitive, and social abilities in traumatic brain injury patients

Motor, cognitive, social, demographic, and lesion site data were obtained f rom traumatic brain injury (TBI) and stroke patients at the time of first a dmission (between 35 and 43 days post brain damage) to inpatient neurologic al rehabilitation. The relationship between these data and outcome measures (defined as "basic" independence, "complex" independence, employment statu s) was investigated. In TBI patients, employment was best predicted by driv e, processing speed, and attention, "basic" independence by processing spee d and drive, and "complex" independence by drive alone. Brain stem lesions also proved to be strongly related to independence measures and employment status. For stroke patients, no variable predicted employment. Motor functi on was weakly related to "basic" independence measures, and the ability to establish contact strongly predicted "complex" independence measure. (C) 20 00 Academic Press.