Background: The ImPACT (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing) neurocognitive testing battery is a popular assessment tool used for concussion management. The stability of the ...baseline neurocognitive assessment is important for accurate comparisons between postconcussion and baseline neurocognitive performance. Psychometric properties of the recently released online version of ImPACT have yet to be established; therefore, research evaluating the reliability of this measure is warranted.Purpose: The authors investigated the 1-year test-retest reliability of the ImPACT online version in a sample of high school athletes.Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4Methods: A total of 369 varsity high school athletes completed 2 mandatory preseason baseline cognitive assessments approximately 1 year apart as required by their respective athletics program. No diagnosed concussion occurred between assessments.Results: Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) for ImPACT online indicated that motor processing speed (.85) was the most stable composite score, followed by reaction time (.76), visual memory (.70), and verbal memory (.62). Unbiased estimates of reliability were consistent with ICCs: motor processing speed (.85), reaction time (.76), visual memory (.71), and verbal memory (.62).Conclusion: The online ImPACT baseline is a stable measure of neurocognitive performance across a 1-year time period for high school athletes. These reliability data for online ImPACT are higher than the 2-year ICCs previously reported from the desktop version.Clinical Relevance: It is recommended that the ImPACT baseline assessment (both desktop and online) continue to be updated every 2 years. The online version of ImPACT appears to be a stable measure of neurocognitive performance over a 1-year period, and systematic evaluation of its stability over a 2-year period is warranted.
The purpose of this experiment is to determine whether mood states, anxiety, self-confidence, precipitating events, and psychological momentum play a role in tennis match outcome. The following ...hypotheses were proposed: (a) tennis match outcome may be influenced by individual's pre-competition cognitive level, (b) tennis match outcome may be influenced by individual's pre-competition mood state, (c) a precipitating event or series of events may influence tennis match outcome, and (d) psychological momentum is present in tennis matches. Fifteen minutes prior to each match 24 NCAA division 1 male tennis players completed the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 and the Profile of Mood States to assess their self-confidence level and mood states, respectively. Each participant was then videotaped and analyzed for precipitating events. Results indicated those athletes with high self-confidence, low anxiety, and low total mood disturbance were more successful. Results further indicated that positive and negative momentum were just as likely to occur in winning and losing players.
The purpose of the current study was to explore potential differences in pre- and post-concussion performance on a computerized neurocognitive concussion test between African American and White ...high-school and collegiate student-athletes. A prospective case-control design was used to compare baseline and 2- and 7-day post-concussion computerized neurocognitive performance and symptoms between 48 White and 48 African American athletes matched for age, gender, and concussion history. The Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment Cognitive Test (ImPACT) version 2.0 (NeuroHealth System, LLC, Pittsburgh, PA, USA) computer software program was used to assess neurocognitive function (i.e., verbal and visual memory, motor processing speed, and reaction time) and concussion symptoms. Regardless of race/ethnicity, there were significant decrements in computerized neurocognitive performance and increased symptoms following a concussion for the entire sample. African Americans and Whites did not differ significantly on baseline or post-concussion verbal memory, visual memory, reaction time, and total reported symptoms. However, African American participants were 2.4× more likely to have at least one clinically significant cognitive decline on ImPACT at 7 days post-concussion and scored lower at 7 days post-concussion compared with baseline on processing speed than White participants. The authors concluded that the baseline ImPACT test was culturally equivalent and construct valid for use with these two racial/ethnic groups. However, in contrast, the findings support deleterious performance for the African American athletes compared with the White athletes on the ImPACT post-concussion evaluation that is of critical clinical relevance and warrants further research.
Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine the psychometric properties of a concussion symptom checklist and psychological health-related quality of life (PHRQoL) inventories ...administered by novel, mobile ecological momentary assessment (EMA) platform, Recovering Concussion Update on Progression of Symptoms (ReCoUPS) in healthy individuals. Method We enrolled 53 healthy individuals (female = 34; Μ age = 20.79 years, SD = 2.68) into our test–retest reliability study using the ReCoUPS platform on participants’smartphones. Thirty survey questions from the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool6 (SCAT-6) and the PROMIS Emotional Distress Shorts Forms Anxiety and Depression (PROMISAnx and PROMISDepress), were administered at random times, daily, for 7 days via ReCoUPS text messages. Eight days after enrollment, participants completed recalled PHRQoL (rPHRQoL) inventories (i.e., “within the past 7 days”). Cronbach’s alpha (Α) determined the internal consistency of momentary PHRQoL (mPHRQoL). Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), 2-way mixed effects model (95% confidence intervals,CI) measured agreement between rHRQoL and mPHRQoL. Spearman’s rho (rs) correlation coefficients determined linear relationships between mPHRQoL and SCAT-6 symptom clusters. Results There was strong internal consistency among all mPHRQoL items (PROMISAnx Α = 0.83; PROMISDepress Α = 0.95). rPHRQoL demonstrated excellent agreement with mPHRQoL (PROMISAnx ICC = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.57–0.99; PROMISDepress ICC = 0.79, 95% CI: −0.09-0.99). mPROMISAnx was significantly correlated with all clusters (affective rs = 0.81, p < 0.001; cognitive-fatigue rs = 0.66, p < 0.001; migraine rs = 0.34; p < 0.001). mPROMISDepress was significantly correlated with affective (rs = 0.69, p < 0.001) and cognitive-fatigue (rs = 0.58, p < 0.001) clusters. Conclusions These findings ensure the robustness and generalizability of administering the SCAT-6 symptom checklist, PROMISAnx, and PROMISDepress via ReCoUPS for monitoring concussion symptoms and PHRQoL in healthy participants.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in propensity for risk-taking between college-aged individuals with and without a history of concussion.
Methods
A ...cross-sectional study of individuals ages 18-30 years was conducted. Participants were administered a brief survey that included demographics, medical history, and the General Risk Propensity Scale (GRiPS). The GRiPS is an 8-item, self-report measure that assesses an individual’s general propensity to take risks (e.g., “I would take a risk even if it meant I might get hurt”). A score of 20 or higher indicates high propensity for risk taking while a score lower than 20 indicates low propensity for risk-taking. An independent samples t-test compared the mean scores of the GRiPS between individuals with and without a concussion history. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05.
Results
One hundred eighty-one participants (92 female; μ age=20.65 years; SD=2.56 years) were included in this study. Ninety-six (53.0%) participants had no concussion history, while 85 (47.0%) had a history of concussion. No significant differences in GRiPS mean scores was noted between groups (no concussion history: μ=23.97, SD=5.96; concussion history: μ=23.68, SD=6.72, p=.73).
Conclusions
These results suggest that an individual’s propensity for risk-taking is not influenced by concussion history, which conflicts with previous research. Future research may consider developing a survey to assess specific risk-taking behaviors that may be associated with a concussion (e.g., “I do not report symptoms of a concussion”) or if a propensity for risk-taking is higher in individuals currently with a concussion or a specific number of previous concussions.
Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between concussion history and emotional and behavioral dyscontrol domains of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in ...college-aged individuals. Methods: A cross-sectional survey study of individuals ages 18–25 years was conducted. Participants completed demographics, medical history, and the Neuro-QOL Emotional and Behavioral Dyscontrol Short Form (Neuro-QOL). A t-score > 50 on the Neuro-QOL indicated better outcomes for emotional and behavioral dyscontrol. A Mann–Whitney U Test compared scores on the Neuro-QOL between individuals with and without self-reported concussion history. Logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between concussion history on the probability of higher or lower Neuro-QOL scores. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: Two hundred fifty-two participants (155 female; age = 19.95 years; SD = 1.53 years) were included, 76 (30.2%) with concussion history and 176 (69.8%) without concussion history. No significant difference in Neuro-QOL t-scores was noted between groups (concussion history: t = 49.4, SE = 2.4; no concussion history; t = 49.4, SE = 2.4; p = 0.47). Individuals with reported concussion history were 1.16 times more likely to score higher on the Neuro-QOL than those without concussion history when controlling for gender (95% CI 0.66, 2.04); however, this was not significant (p = 0.61). Conclusions: Preliminary findings suggest that emotional and behavioral dyscontrol domains are not influenced by prior concussion history. Future research should continue to explore HRQoL domains (e.g., physical health, psychological health, social relationships, environment) most impacted by concussion, as well as the influence of prior mental health conditions or behavioral dysfunction following a subsequent injury.
