A - 148 Pre-Injury Personality and Engagement in Inpatient Rehabilitation Following TBI.

Abstract

We sought to evaluate the relationship between pre-injury motivational systems and engagement in inpatient rehabilitation (IR) following moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (msTBI). We recruited 20 individuals, aged 18-80years, from IR with msTBI as evidenced by a GCS score < 13, loss of consciousness ≥60minutes, post-traumatic amnesia (PTA) of at least 24hours, and/or positive findings on neuroimaging. After emergence from PTA, participants reported on their general behavior and personality prior to their injury in a verbal interview, which included the 24-item BIS/BAS Scale. This scale measures the behavioral inhibition system (BIS), which motivates avoidance of aversive outcomes, and the behavioral activation system (BAS), which motivates approach to goal-oriented outcomes. Rehabilitation therapists rated participants' engagement in each physical (PT), occupational (OT), and speech therapy (ST) session using the Rehabilitation Intensity of Therapy Scale. We assessed the relationship between BIS/BAS scores and average level of engagement in each rehabilitation discipline using Pearson's correlation. The sample was 65% male and 65% white with a mean age of 38.95years (SD = 19.57) and a mean education of 13.45years (SD = 2.61). Engagement in PT was significantly correlated with BAS Drive, r(18) = -0.55, p = 0.012; BAS Fun-Seeking, r(18) = -0.55, p = 0.013; and BAS Reward Responsiveness, r(18) = -0.56, p = 0.010. There were no significant correlations between the BIS/BAS subscales and engagement in OT or ST. Pre-injury motivation to approach goal-oriented outcomes predicts engagement in inpatient PT following msTBI, which may impact treatment benefit and subsequent functioning.