Factors Influencing Speech-Language Pathology Referral and Utilization in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: An Exploratory Analysis.

Purpose: Speech-language pathologists provide important services to people recovering from mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), also called concussion, although they may be underutilized in outpatient care. Because health care providers face challenges in selecting assessments to efficiently describe patient needs, the purpose of this study was to describe factors related to patients receiving speech-language pathology services after mTBI, as well as how assessments predict amount of services received.

Method: In this retrospective chart review study, demographic factors, injury characteristics, and assessment scores were extracted from medical records of patients aged 14-65 years receiving services for recent (within 6 months) mTBI at an outpatient specialty clinic.

Exploring Demographic and Cognitive Predictors of Self-Management in Quasi-Randomized Fall Prevention Intervention for Older Adults With and Without Traumatic Brain Injury.

Objective: Changes in health behavior are key to maintaining health, safety, and independence of older adults. The purpose of this study was to explore factors impacting training in self-management and behavior change in older adults with and without traumatic brain injury (TBI), informing efforts to improve safety and independent function.

Methods: Forty-one older adults, 19 with TBI, completed a self-regulation intervention (mental contrasting with implementation intentions; MCII) to promote fall prevention behavior change.

Experiences of Acquired Brain Injury as Expressed Through Mask-Making: A Qualitative Analysis.

Purpose: Acquired brain injury (ABI) extends beyond the immediate aftermath, and understanding individual experience of ABI is paramount to providing effective support mechanisms. This study examined how people with ABI used mask-making to engage in self-expression.

Method: Publicly available data from the Unmasking Brain Injury Project website, an advocacy group for people with ABI, were analyzed.

A theory-based exploration of psychosocial factors influencing concussion health seeking intentions in college students.

This mixed method study examined how psychosocial factors from the Theory of Planned Behavior and Reasoned Action (TPB/RA) influence health-seeking behaviors after concussion, expanding from student-athlete TPB/RA research to assess the influence of psychosocial factors within a general college population. Two hundred and forty-four students participated from a large Southeastern public university. A concurrent nested mixed-methods approach involving closed- and constructed- response survey questions.

Pilot testing the SUCCESS peer mentoring program for students with concussion: the role of personas in mobile technology development.

Purpose: College students with concussion experience academic, cognitive and psychosocial challenges, yet frequently lack supports necessary for successful reintegration into school. Success in College after Concussion with Effective Student Supports (SUCCESS) is a virtual peer mentoring program designed to provide education, support and connection through a mobile application. The purpose of this study was to describe use of personas as components of mobile app development and conduct preliminary testing of SUCCESS using personas.

The SUCCESS Peer Mentoring Program for College Students with Concussion: Preliminary Results of a Mobile Technology Delivered Intervention.

Concussions are caused by a hit or blow to the head that alters normal brain functioning. The Success in College after Concussion with Effective Student Supports (SUCCESS) program was developed to provide students with psychosocial support and resources-both key components of concussion management-to assist in recovery and return-to-learn following concussion. In this preliminary evaluation of intervention efficacy, SUCCESS was delivered through a mobile application connecting mentors (students who have recovered from concussion and successfully returned to school) with mentees who were currently recovering.

Investigating the Student in Returning to Learn After Concussion: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Purpose: Examine concussion effects on academic outcomes, including student perspectives.

Methods: This study included a systematic review and meta-analysis examining post-concussion school attendance, academic performance, perceptions of academic difficulty, and accommodations for students in elementary through college settings. The analysis considered pre- and post-injury factors, along with injury factors that contribute to post-concussion academic outcomes.

Reconceptualizing Recovery After Concussion: A Phenomenological Exploration of College Student Experiences.

Purpose: Typical measures of recovery from concussion-such as symptom scales, neurocognitive testing, or exertion measures-may not capture individualized experiences of concussion. This report examines how college students with concussion interact with and consider their recovery.

Method: Sixteen college students who sustained concussions while in college completed 40- to 75-min semistructured interviews.

The School-Based Speech-Language Pathologist and Students With Concussion: An Examination of Evolving Knowledge and Confidence.

Purpose: This study examines school-based speech-language pathologists' (SLPs') experience, knowledge, and confidence in supporting students as they return to the classroom following concussion, with a particular focus on knowledge of new management guidelines over the last decade.

Method: Participants were 74 school-based SLPs who completed an electronic survey about their knowledge and experiences serving students with concussion. We examined participants' accuracy and confidence across knowledge questions using Kruskal-Wallis tests.

Cognitive-Communication Complaints and Referrals for Speech-Language Pathology Services Following Concussion.

Purpose: Speech-language pathologists are increasingly being recognized as key members of concussion management teams. This study investigates whether self-report of communication problems postconcussion may be useful in identifying clients who could benefit from speech-language pathology services.

Method: Participants included 41 adolescents and adults from an outpatient specialty concussion clinic.

Critical Elements of Return to Learn for Students With Concussion: A Scoping Review.

Objective: To identify critical elements of return to learn (RTL) for students with concussion and examine the state of the peer-reviewed published literature through a scoping review.

Methods: Three electronic databases were systematically searched, and reference lists screened for articles addressing components of RTL protocols and accommodations for students with concussion. In total, 100 articles met inclusion criteria, including 56 empirical studies and 44 expert articles.