Predictors of Multidimensional Profiles of Participation After Traumatic Brain Injury: A TBI Model Systems Study.

Objectives: To identify personal, clinical, and environmental factors associated with 4 previously identified distinct multidimensional participation profiles of individuals following traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Setting: Community.

Participants: Participants ( n = 408) enrolled in the TBI Model Systems (TBIMS) Participation Module, all 1 year or more postinjury.

Design: Secondary data analysis of cross-sectional data from participants in a multicenter TBIMS module study on participation conducted between May 2006 and September 2007. Participants provided responses to questionnaires via a telephone interview at their study follow-up (1, 2, 5, 10, or 15 years postinjury).

Main measures: Participants provided responses to personal (eg, demographic), clinical (eg, function), environmental (eg, neighborhood type), and participation measures to create multidimensional participation profiles. Data from measures collected at the time of injury (preinjury questionnaire, injury characteristics) were also included. The primary outcome was assignment to one of 4 multidimensional participation profile groups based on participation frequency, importance, satisfaction, and enfranchisement. The measures used to develop the profiles were: Participation Assessment with Recombined Tools-Objective, Importance, and Satisfaction scores, each across 3 domains (Productivity, Social Relationships, Out and About in the Community) and the Enfranchisement Scale (contributing to one's community, feeling valued by the community, choice and control).

Results: Results of the multinomial regression analysis, with 4 distinct participation profile groups as the outcome, indicated that education, current employment, current illicit drug use, current driving status, community type, and FIM Cognitive at follow-up significantly distinguished participation profile groups. Findings suggest a trend toward differences in participation profile groups by race/Hispanic ethnicity.

Conclusions: Understanding personal, clinical, and environmental factors associated with distinct participation outcome profiles following TBI may provide more personalized and nuanced guidance to inform rehabilitation intervention planning and/or ongoing clinical monitoring.