Sauvé W, Davis Moore R, Ellemberg D. (2016). Gender Differences in Psycho-affective Outcomes of Concussion in University Athletes. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercice, 48(5S Suppl 1): 843

BACKGROUND: Concussion or mild traumatic brain injuries are known to cause alterations in psycho-affective health (Jorge, 2004). Relative to males, females are thought to be at greater risk for concussion and report more intense symptoms following concussion (Covassin, 2007). Despite this, few studies comprehensively evaluated psycho-affective health between males and females beyond the acute phase of injury (Barnes, 1998; Covassin, 2007).

PURPOSE: To assess longitudinally the influence of gender on psycho-affective health following concussion.

METHOD: 30 collegiate athletes (14 females, age = 20.79 ± 1.37; 16 males, age = 20.93 ±1.12) completed the Beck’s Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) and the Profile of Mood States (POMS) at 7 and 30 days following a concussion.

RESULTS: On the POMS subscales, all athletes had greater anger (p=0.05), vigor (p=0.03), fatigue (p=0.01), confusion (p=0.01) and total mood disturbances (p=0.03) at day 7 compared to day 30 post-injury. However, analyses failed to reveal any gender differences for any of the POMS subscales at either time point. All athletes also exhibited greater intensity of depressive symptoms on the BDI-II (p<0.01) at day 7 compared to day 30. However, at day 7, female athletes had significantly greater scores on the BDI-II than male athletes (p=0.05), but no gender difference was found at 30 days post-injury.

CONCLUSION: The current results suggest that gender differences in psycho-affective outcomes following concussion are selective to depressive symptoms. Further these differences appear relegated to the acute phase of injury. Thus time since injury, not gender, appears to be the most important factor moderating the intensity of psycho-affective symptoms following a concussion.

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