Thesis Defence: Examining Neuropsychological Outcome and Persistent Symptoms After a Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A Multilevel Model Meta-Analysis
July 9 at 9:00 am - 1:00 pm
Victoria Violo, supervised by Dr. Maya Libben & Dr. Harry Miller, will defend their thesis titled “Examining Neuropsychological Outcome and Persistent Symptoms After a Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A Multilevel Model Meta-Analysis” in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology.
An abstract for Victoria Violo’s thesis is included below.
Defences are open to all members of the campus community as well as the general public. Registration is not required for in-person defences.
ABSTRACT
Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is defined as an acute brain injury resulting from a direct or indirect blow to the head. Among all traumatic brain injuries, mTBI accounts for an estimated 80% of diagnoses. While many individuals recover within a few months, persistent symptoms beyond the typical recovery period remain controversial. Several factors have been proposed to explain these chronic symptoms, highlighting the need for methodological improvements to accurately identify contributing factors. This study conducted a three-level meta-analysis to assess whether there have been significant advances in mTBI research over the most recent decade and to examine neuropsychological outcomes post-mTBI. Additionally, a secondary meta-regression analysis was conducted to investigate moderators that may influence persistent symptoms. Initially, the three-level meta-analysis (k = 53) results revealed statistically significant cognitive impairments in individuals with mTBI compared to healthy controls (g = -0.37). However, the introduction of moderators, including cognitive domains, region of study, and time since injury altered these findings. Cognitive performance generally improved over time, with specific domains showing different rates of recovery. Specifically, memory, executive function, processing speed, working memory, verbal fluency, and complex attention exhibited significant improvements over time. Findings from the meta-regression examining the reporting of persistent concussive symptoms (PCS) revealed age, verbal fluency, and regional differences to be significant predictors. The findings of this study underscore the complexity of recovery following mTBI and highlight the need for standardized methodologies and consistent approaches to capture the multifaceted nature of mTBI outcomes. Future research should prioritize prospective designs and investigate trauma-related symptoms following the mTBI incident.
