Citation

Nelson NW, Anderson CR, Thuras P, Kehle-Forbes SM, Arbisi PA, Erbes CR, Polusny MA. Br. J. Psychiatry 2015; 206(3): 237-244.

Affiliation

Nathaniel W. Nelson, PhD, Graduate School of Professional Psychology, University of St. Thomas and Minneapolis VA Health Care System, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Carolyn R. Anderson, PhD, Minneapolis VA Health Care System, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Paul Thuras, PhD, Minneapolis VA Health Care System, and Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Shannon M. Kehle-Forbes, PhD, Minneapolis VA Health Care System, and Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota Medical School, and Center for Chronic Disease Outcomes Research, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Paul A. Arbisi, PhD, Christopher R. Erbes, PhD, Minneapolis VA Health Care System, and Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Melissa A. Polusny, PhD, Minneapolis VA Health Care System, and Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota Medical School, and Center for Chronic Disease Outcomes Research, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, Royal College of Psychiatry)

DOI

10.1192/bjp.bp.114.149096

PMID

25614533

Abstract

Background Estimates of the prevalence of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) among military personnel and combat veterans rely almost exclusively on retrospective self-reports; however, reliability of these reports has received little attention. Aims To examine the consistency of reporting of mTBI over time and identify factors associated with inconsistent reporting.

METHOD A longitudinal cohort of 948 US National Guard Soldiers deployed to Iraq completed self-report questionnaire screening for mTBI and psychological symptoms while in-theatre 1 month before returning home (time 1, T1) and 1 year later (time 2, T2).

RESULTS Most respondents (n = 811, 85.5%) were consistent in their reporting of mTBI across time. Among those who were inconsistent in their reports (n = 137, 14.5%), the majority denied mTBI at T1 and affirmed mTBI at T2 (n = 123, 89.8%). Respondents rarely endorsed mTBI in-theatre and later denied mTBI (n = 14, 10.2% of those with inconsistent reports). Post-deployment post-traumatic stress symptoms and non-specific physical complaints were significantly associated with inconsistent report of mTBI.

CONCLUSIONS Military service members' self-reports of mTBI are generally consistent over time; however, inconsistency in retrospective self-reporting of mTBI status is associated with current post-traumatic stress symptoms and non-specific physical health complaints.

Language: en