Behavioral limitations that traumatic-brain-injured patients tend to underestimate

Abstract

Sixty-four traumatic-brain-injury (TBI) patients and their relatives completed the Patient Competency Rating Scale (PCRS). As predicted, TBI patients consistently underestimated their behavioral limitations on 10 out of the 30 items used in this scale while showing no such underestimation (compared to relatives' reports) on eight additional items. TBI patients typically underestimate problems in emotional control and social interaction. Multiple regression equations were calculated for predicting patient and relative ratings on PCRS items. Measures of verbal learning and simple speed of finger tapping were consistently related to ratings concerning activities of daily living. However, neuropsychological test scores generally failed to predict ratings on the items sampling social interaction and emotional control. Impaired awareness of certain behavioral limitations may reflect a cognitive/affective disturbance not adequately sampled by traditional neuropsychological measures alone.