Comparability of (post-concussion) symptoms across time in individuals after traumatic brain injury: results from the CENTER-TBI study

Abstract

Post-concussion symptoms often occur after TBI, persist and cause disabilities. The Rivermead Post-Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire (RPQ) is widely used in this population, but little is known about the comparability of the symptoms over time, i.e., longitudinal measurement invariance (MI). The objectives of this study were to analyze the longitudinal MI of RPQ symptoms from three to twelve months after TBI and to find factors related to RPQ symptoms. The study involved 1023 individuals after TBI who took part in the Collaborative European NeuroTrauma Effectiveness Research in TBI (CENTER-TBI) study and completed the RPQ at three, six and twelve months postinjury. Longitudinal confirmatory factor analysis showed that the three-factor structure (somatic, emotional and cognitive) remains stable within one year after TBI. Linear mixed models revealed that sex, injury cause and prior psychiatric problems were related to the RPQ three-factor structure as well as to the RPQ total score. The study strengthens evidence for the RPQ’s factorial structure stability within one year after TBI and identifies sex, injury cause and prior psychiatric problems as important factors that may help clinicians to prevent future complications of symptomatology after TBI.