INS NYC 2024 Program

Poster	Poster Session 03 Program Schedule 02/15/2024 09:30 am - 10:40 am Room: Majestic Complex (Posters 61-120) Poster Session 03: Neurotrauma \| Neurovascular Final Abstract #75 Trait Anxiety, Executive Function, and Quality of Life in Traumatic Brain Injury Jessica Stump, University of Nebraska- Lincoln, Lincoln, United States Jeremy Feiger, University of Nebraska- Lincoln, Lincoln, United States Jessica Phelps, University of Nebraska- Lincoln, Lincoln, United States Drake Reinke, University of Nebraska- Lincoln, Lincoln, United States Kathy Chiou, University of Nebraska- Lincoln, Lincoln, United States Category: Acquired Brain Injury (TBI/Cerebrovascular Injury and Disease - Adult) Keyword 1: anxiety Keyword 2: quality of life Keyword 3: executive functions Objective: Impairments in executive function (EF) after traumatic brain injury (TBI) have been found to negatively impact quality of life (QOL) post-injury. Notably, psychiatric symptoms are often also present after TBI and are likely to have an effect on such relationships. There is growing evidence suggesting the detrimental influence of anxiety on EF; however, the interactive effects of anxiety and EF on QOL are less understood. The present study seeks to determine the effect of trait anxiety on EF and QOL. It is expected that anxiety will moderate the relationship between EF and QOL subscale ratings and that this moderation will be unique to the TBI group. Participants and Methods: Twenty-three participants with moderate to severe TBI and eleven neurologically healthy controls completed a comprehensive neuropsychological battery. Measures of EF included the Wisconsin Card Sort Test, Trails B, and the Controlled Oral Word Association Test-FAS. T scores from the EF measures were combined to compute a composite EF score. The trait anxiety score of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was used to assess anxiety, and the Quality of Life After Brain Injury Scale (QOLIBRI) to assess QOL. Subscales of the QOLIBRI measured the QOL domains of self, emotion, social relationships, and daily life and autonomy. Individual hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted separately for HC and TBI groups with EF and anxiety as the predictors and QOL subscale scores as the outcome. Results: Within the TBI group, anxiety and EF explained 53% of the variance in the emotion subscale (R² = .53, p <.05), 45% in the self subscale (R² = .45, p < .05), 44% in the daily life and autonomy subscale (R² = .44, p < .05), 47% in social relationships (R² = .47, p < .05), and 61% in the total score (R² = .61, p < .05). Within the control group, anxiety and EF explained 72% of the variance in the self subscale (R² = .72, p < .05), 86% in the social relationships subscale (R² = .86, p < .05), and 90% in the total score (R² = .90, p < .05). The interaction between anxiety and EF was not significant for any of the models in either group. Conclusions: The nonsignificant interaction terms in all models indicate that the relationship between EF and QOL does not depend on anxiety. Rather, both predictors contribute to the prediction of QOL scores. Further, for survivors of TBI, EF and anxiety were predictive of additional domains of QOL in the areas of emotion and daily life. These results suggest that QOL is more globally affected by anxiety and EF for individuals with TBI than healthy peers. These domain differences between groups may help identify which aspects of QOL are most impacted for TBI survivors. Further, identifying specific areas of QOL that are sensitive to anxiety and EF in the TBI group has implications for treatment planning and assessment in TBI. Explanations of how these findings enhance our understanding of anxiety, EF, and QOL will be discussed.

Poster

02/15/2024
09:30 am - 10:40 am
Room: Majestic Complex (Posters 61-120)

Poster Session 03: Neurotrauma | Neurovascular

Final Abstract #75

Trait Anxiety, Executive Function, and Quality of Life in Traumatic Brain Injury

Jessica Stump, University of Nebraska- Lincoln, Lincoln, United States
Jeremy Feiger, University of Nebraska- Lincoln, Lincoln, United States
Jessica Phelps, University of Nebraska- Lincoln, Lincoln, United States
Drake Reinke, University of Nebraska- Lincoln, Lincoln, United States
Kathy Chiou, University of Nebraska- Lincoln, Lincoln, United States

Category: Acquired Brain Injury (TBI/Cerebrovascular Injury and Disease - Adult)

Keyword 1: anxiety
Keyword 2: quality of life
Keyword 3: executive functions

Objective:

Impairments in executive function (EF) after traumatic brain injury (TBI) have been found to negatively impact quality of life (QOL) post-injury. Notably, psychiatric symptoms are often also present after TBI and are likely to have an effect on such relationships. There is growing evidence suggesting the detrimental influence of anxiety on EF; however, the interactive effects of anxiety and EF on QOL are less understood. The present study seeks to determine the effect of trait anxiety on EF and QOL. It is expected that anxiety will moderate the relationship between EF and QOL subscale ratings and that this moderation will be unique to the TBI group.

Participants and Methods:

Twenty-three participants with moderate to severe TBI and eleven neurologically healthy controls completed a comprehensive neuropsychological battery. Measures of EF included the Wisconsin Card Sort Test, Trails B, and the Controlled Oral Word Association Test-FAS. T scores from the EF measures were combined to compute a composite EF score. The trait anxiety score of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was used to assess anxiety, and the Quality of Life After Brain Injury Scale (QOLIBRI) to assess QOL. Subscales of the QOLIBRI measured the QOL domains of self, emotion, social relationships, and daily life and autonomy. Individual hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted separately for HC and TBI groups with EF and anxiety as the predictors and QOL subscale scores as the outcome.

Results:

Within the TBI group, anxiety and EF explained 53% of the variance in the emotion subscale (R² = .53, p <.05), 45% in the self subscale (R² = .45, p < .05), 44% in the daily life and autonomy subscale (R² = .44, p < .05), 47% in social relationships (R² = .47, p < .05), and 61% in the total score (R² = .61, p < .05). Within the control group, anxiety and EF explained 72% of the variance in the self subscale (R² = .72, p < .05), 86% in the social relationships subscale (R² = .86, p < .05), and 90% in the total score (R² = .90, p < .05). The interaction between anxiety and EF was not significant for any of the models in either group.

Conclusions:

The nonsignificant interaction terms in all models indicate that the relationship between EF and QOL does not depend on anxiety. Rather, both predictors contribute to the prediction of QOL scores. Further, for survivors of TBI, EF and anxiety were predictive of additional domains of QOL in the areas of emotion and daily life. These results suggest that QOL is more globally affected by anxiety and EF for individuals with TBI than healthy peers. These domain differences between groups may help identify which aspects of QOL are most impacted for TBI survivors. Further, identifying specific areas of QOL that are sensitive to anxiety and EF in the TBI group has implications for treatment planning and assessment in TBI. Explanations of how these findings enhance our understanding of anxiety, EF, and QOL will be discussed.