Factors associated with self-awareness impairment in an inpatient brain injury rehabilitation cohort

BackgroundSelf-awareness impairment is common following acquired brain injury and can impact rehabilitation outcomes. Knowledge of factors associated with impaired self-awareness may assist with rehabilitation planning.ObjectivesTo identify factors associated with self-awareness and determine predictors of self-awareness impairment for adults with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and stroke.Design and methodsA retrospective cohort study of rehabilitation inpatients was conducted by medical record audit. Self-awareness was measured using the Self-awareness of Deficits Interview (SADI). Relationships between SADI scores and demographic and clinical variables were identified with non-parametric statistics. Predictors of SADI scores were identified using ordinal regression analyses for TBI and stroke groups.ResultsParticipants were 149 adults (18-70 years) with TBI (n = 110) and stroke (n = 39). For TBI, longer post-traumatic amnesia (PTA), lower functional cognition/communication, and behaviors of concern (BoC) were significantly associated with higher SADI scores (i.e. impaired self-awareness). For stroke, lower functional cognition/communication and motor scores were associated with higher SADI scores. Impaired self-awareness was predicted by PTA duration, acute length of stay and presence of BoC for the TBI group, and by functional cognition/communication for the stroke group.ConclusionDifferent factors were associated with impaired self-awareness for individuals with TBI and stroke during inpatient rehabilitation.