A-35 Difficulty Speaking, Stuttering, and Missing Words Post-Concussion: Findings from Two Independent Studies

Abstract

Abstract Purpose The current investigation examined the potential consequences of concussion on speech-language abilities by analyzing quantitative and qualitative data from two independent studies. Methods Study 1: 185 rugby, soccer, football, rowing, and hockey athletes (M=17.42 years, SD=3.80; 44% female) completed the Rosenbaum Concussion Attitude and Knowledge Survey (RoCKAS). Study 2: 19 varsity soccer, rugby, volleyball, and basketball athletes (M=21.74 years, SD=2.13; 37% female) with history of at least one concussion completed individual one-hour semi-structured interviews, and thematic analysis was used to identify patterns across athletes’ experiences of concussion. Results Study 1: Quantitative analysis of athletes’ endorsements of distractor and legitimate post-concussive symptoms on the RoCKAS yielded a relatively low rate of endorsement across all distractor symptoms (1–29%, M=11%), with the exception of ‘difficulty speaking’, which was endorsed by majority (70%) of the sample. Study 2: Thematic analysis of interview content identified long-term difficulties with speech articulation (i.e., stuttering and word-finding) as a post-concussive symptom for 42% of the sample. Conclusions While speech abilities are largely thought to remain intact following concussion, quantitative and qualitative findings from these two independent studies suggest that speech difficulties may be an overlooked outcome of concussion. Several neuropsychological (e.g., attention, memory, executive function, or processing speed) and neuropathophysiological (e.g., diffuse axonal damage to cortico-subcortical pathways) processes may be underlying this relationship. Exploratory studies and longitudinal data are needed to elucidate the potential consequences of concussion on speech-language abilities.