The Relationship Between Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms and Social Participation in Veterans With Traumatic Brain Injury: A Veterans Affairs Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems Study

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can negatively affect quality of life and social functioning. This study examined the relationship between PTSD and social participation in a cohort of veterans and service members (V/SM). Participants included 242 adults enrolled in the Veterans Affairs Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems (VA TBIMS) multicenter study. Social participation was measured with the Participation Assessment with Recombined Tools-Objective. PTSD symptoms were assessed with the PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version at admission, and TBI severity was determined with the Glasgow Coma Scale. Neither TBI severity nor PTSD were associated with lower social participation at 1-year post-TBI. Marital status was the only significant predictor of social participation within this sample of V/SM with primarily moderate to severe TBI. Married V/SM with TBI reported more social participation which could lead to better rehabilitation outcomes. Unmarried V/SM may need more assistance with engagement in social activities, which can be a rehabilitation treatment target.

创伤性脑损伤（TBI）和创伤后应激障碍（PTSD）会对生活质量和社会功能产生负面影响。本研究调查了一组退伍军人和现役军人（V/SM）中创伤后应激障碍与社会参与之间的关系。参与者包括242名参加退伍军人事务部创伤性脑损伤模型系统（VA TBIMS）多中心研究的成年人。社会参与度采用重组工具 - 客观参与评估法进行测量。创伤后应激障碍症状在入院时使用平民版创伤后应激障碍检查表进行评估，创伤性脑损伤的严重程度通过格拉斯哥昏迷量表确定。在创伤性脑损伤发生1年后，无论是创伤性脑损伤的严重程度还是创伤后应激障碍都与较低的社会参与度无关。在这组主要为中度至重度创伤性脑损伤的退伍军人和现役军人样本中，婚姻状况是社会参与度的唯一重要预测因素。已婚的患有创伤性脑损伤的退伍军人和现役军人报告有更多的社会参与，这可能会带来更好的康复结果。未婚的患有创伤性脑损伤的退伍军人和现役军人可能在参与社会活动方面需要更多帮助，这可以作为康复治疗的一个目标。