Abstract
Objective: Paediatric severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with significant post-injury affective and behavioural problems. Few studies have examined the prevalence and characteristics of affective lability after paediatric TBI. Methods: Ninety-seven children with severe TBI were evaluated 1 year post-injury for the presence of affective lability using the Children's Affective Lability Scale (CALS). Demographic, clinical and brain lesion characteristics were also assessed. Results: Affective lability significantly increased after injury. Eighty-six children had a pre-injury CALS score of 1 SD or less from the group pre-injury mean (M = 8.11, SD = 9.31), of which 35 and 15 children had a 1 SD and 2 SD increase in their CALS score from pre- to post-injury, respectively. A variety of affective shifts manifested post-injury including anxiety, silliness, dysphoria and irritability. The most severe symptoms were irritability and unpredictable temper outbursts. Risk factors for affective lability included elevated pre-injury affective lability and psychosocial adversity as well as greater damage to the orbitofrontal cortex. Post-injury affective lability was most frequently associated with a post-injury diagnosis of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Conclusions: Affective lability is common after paediatric TBI and frequently manifests as irritability and unpredictable outbursts. Early intervention is needed to improve psychiatric outcomes.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 921-928 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Brain Injury |
Volume | 29 |
Issue number | 7-8 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jul 1 2015 |
Keywords
- Affective lability
- Children
- Irritability
- Outbursts
- Traumatic brain injury
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Neuroscience (miscellaneous)
- Developmental and Educational Psychology
- Clinical Neurology