Investigating metacognition,cognition, and behavioral deficits of college students with acute traumatic brain injuries

ABSTRACT

Objective: Executive dysfunction in college students who have had an acute traumatic brain injury (TBI) was investigated. The cognitive, behavioral, and metacognitive effects on college students who endorsed experiencing a brain injury were specifically explored. Participants: Participants were 121 college students who endorsed a mild TBI, and 121 college students with no history of a TBI were matched on sex and ethnicity to examine potential differences between groups. Methods: Participants completed the Dysexecutive Questionnaire (DEX). Results: A Rasch analysis indicated that the TBI group had significantly higher total scores on the DEX than the control group. Moreover, when compared with the control group, the students with a TBI had higher scores on all 3 subcomponents of the DEX. Conclusion: These findings suggest that students who endorse brain injuries may experience more difficulty with specific facets of college. Thus, the importance of academic and personal resources available for students with a TBI is discussed.