Psychological Factors Associated with Delayed Symptom Resolution in Children with Concussion

Objective To characterize the psychological factors associated with persistent symptoms after pediatric concussion. Study design Longitudinal cohort study of 179 children with concussion 8-18 years old evaluated in a pediatric emergency department. Participants were followed for 1 month for delayed symptom resolution, defined as >= 3 symptoms that were new/worse than preinjury symptoms measured by the use of graded symptom inventory. Preinjury psychological traits were measured by parental report on subscales of the Personality Inventory for Children-2 (maladjustment, cognitive abilities, somatization). Child report of postinjury anxiety and injury perception were measured with the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children and Children's Illness Perception Questionnaire. Psychological instrument scores were compared between those with and without delayed symptom resolution via a Kruskal-Wallis test. Associations between psychological traits and delayed symptom resolution were investigated by the use of logistic regression. Results Delayed symptom resolution occurred in 21% of participants. Score distributions were significantly worse on the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (38 [IQR 33-40] vs 35 [IQR 31-39]; P = .04) and somatization sub-scale (1 [IQR 0-3] vs 1 [IQR 0-1]; P = .01) among children with delayed symptom resolution compared with children with early symptom resolution. Somatization was associated with delayed symptom resolution (aOR 1.35, 95% CI 1.08-1.69). The proportion of children with abnormal somatization scores was significantly greater in the delayed symptom resolution group (34.2%) than the early symptom resolution group (12.8%; P < .01). Other psychological measures were not different between groups. Conclusion Somatization is associated with delayed symptom resolution in this cohort of children with concussion. Postconcussive symptoms lasting at least 1 month may warrant referral to a neuropsychologist familiar with postconcussion care.