Cognition and Other Predictors of Functional Disability Among Veterans With Mild Traumatic Brain Injury and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

The study investigates factors affecting daily functioning in veterans with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and/or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It examines how cognitive abilities, mood, and other symptoms relate to functional disability. Researchers assessed cognitive performance using neuropsychological tests, and measured functional disability using the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Scale (WHODAS) 2.0. The findings suggest that mood and postconcussive symptoms are more strongly associated with everyday functioning than cognitive test performances in veterans with mTBI and/or PTSD.

• 1
  Cognitive test performances generally did not predict functioning in clinical groups (mTBI, PTSD, or both) when accounting for other factors.
• 2
  Multiple cognitive test performances predicted WHODAS 2.0 scores in the deployed control group.
• 3
  Higher levels of performance on a test of reasoning and problem solving were associated with worsening WHODAS 2.0 functional abilities in the mTBI + PTSD group.