Lifetime and novel psychiatric disorders after pediatric traumatic brain injury

Objective: To assess lifetime and current psychiatric disorders at least 1 year after traumatic brain injury (TBI) in children and adolescents. Method : Forty-six youths who sustained a TBI between the ages of 6 through 15 yea rs were evaluated at least 1 year post-TBI to identify the presence of life time and/or novel psychiatric disorders. Semistructured interviews of the p arent and child and standardized parent self report rating instruments were used. Results: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and depressive dis orders were the most common lifetime and novel diagnoses. A wide variety an d high rate of never psychiatric disorders were identified; 74% of these di sorders persisted in 48% of the injured children. Internalizing disorders w ere more likely to resolve than externalizing disorders; Both interviews an d parent ratings were Sensitive to current externalizing behaviors; intervi ews more often detected internalizing disorders, whereas parent ratings als o identified cognitive difficulties. Conclusions: Findings were generally c onsistent with previous research demonstrating the high rate of novel psych iatric disorders following pediatric TBI. Psychiatric interviews were Sensi tive in identifying both lifetime and novel disorders.