Subjective experience after traumatic brain injury

The present investigation aims to show which specific difficulties are reported with greater frequency in traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients than in controls, and in hetero-assessment than in self-assessment. Ninety-seven patients with severe TBI were compared to 97 controls matched for age and gender. The 63-item European Brain Injury Questionnaire (EBIQ) was completed by patients, close relatives and controls. A principal component analysis showed three main factors: 'depressive mood', 'cognitive difficulties', and 'difficulties in social interactions'. Relatives scored higher than patients for items concerning the three domains. Patients scored higher than controls for 'depressive mood' and 'cognitive difficulties', but not for 'difficulties in social interactions', which included items related to both self-assertion and lack of self-control. After TBI, emotional problems and, especially, depressive mood associated to cognitive difficulties have an important impact in everyday life and family functioning. Difficulties in social interactions are not specific of TBI patients.