Year of Award

2022

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

Master of Science (MS)

Degree Name

Speech-Language Pathology

Department or School/College

School of Speech, Language, Hearing, and Occupational Sciences

Committee Chair

Catherine Off

Commitee Members

Jenna Griffin, Valerie Moody

Keywords

Multidimensional assessment, functional, concussion, post-concussion syndrome, persisting symptoms, cognitive function

Subject Categories

Speech Pathology and Audiology

Abstract

Purpose: Individuals who experience ongoing symptoms after sustaining a mTBI may not receive the help they need because the deficits they endorse on self-report measures are not identified on current standardized cognitive assessments. The purpose of the current investigation is to determine how to better document ongoing cognitive-communication deficits and to characterize the nature of how these deficits impact daily life and communicative participation, using a multidimensional assessment protocol.

Method: A multiple case study design was selected to comprehensively document the cognitive-linguistic functioning of multiple individuals with concussion. Five participants completed one session over a telehealth platform that included four self-report measures and four standardized cognitive assessments. All participants then completed a second session which included a planning portion for in-person and at-home tasks followed by execution of in-person tasks. The participants completed the at-home tasks for the 10 subsequent days following the planning phase.

Results: All five participants successfully participated in all portions of the protocol being implemented. Participant self-report measures indicated a variety of cognitive deficits not identified during the standardized cognitive measures. Many of the cognitive deficits endorsed on the self-report measures were observed during the participant’s execution of functional cognitive tasks.

Conclusion: Detecting cognitive-communication deficits in individuals with concussion/mTBI using a standardized assessment continues to pose as a challenge for rehabilitation professionals given the gap between performance on standardized assessments and symptoms endorsed on self-report measures. Further research and adaptations of this multidimensional protocol may be beneficial to the development of a functional standardized assessment.

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