Date of Award

January 2015

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

F. R. Ferraro

Abstract

The majority of individuals are believed to recover within several months following a mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI). However, some individuals may continue to experience persistent symptoms including cognitive, emotional, and behavioral problems. This study compared the performance of college students with self-reported MTBI to non-head injured peers on the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) index and subtest scores using independent-samples t-tests. The Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) were also used to compare symptoms of depression, anxiety and alcohol use between groups. The results of this study did not support the hypotheses. Significant differences between groups were found for the RBANS Delayed Memory Index and the STAI trait subscale. This study contributed to MTBI research in that it gathered information regarding cognitive performance, symptoms of depression and anxiety, and alcohol use in a sample of college students with MTBI.

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