Changes in social participation between 1 and 2 years following moderate-severe traumatic brain injury

OBJECTIVE: To examine patterns of change in social participation in persons with moderate-severe traumatic brain injury (msTBI) between 1 and 2 years postinjury, and predictors of observed change. PARTICIPANTS: 375 participants with msTBI enrolled in a single TBI Model System site. MEASURES AND METHODS: The dependent variable in a linear regression was a reliable change score for the Social Relations subscale of the Participation Assessment with Recombined Tools-Objective, administered at 1- and 2-year follow-ups. Predictors of change included demographics, injury severity, social and functional status at Year 1, and changes in function and life circumstances between years 1 and 2. RESULTS: Social participation status did not change substantially for [Formula: see text] of the sample, while approximately equal proportions of the remainder improved or declined. The regression model was significant (p < 0.001). Improvement was predicted by private vs. public insurance and decline was predicted by a reduction in the FIM functional outcome measure from year 1 to year 2. Marginal predictors included education (higher levels predicting improvement) and year 1 marital status (single status predicting decline). CONCLUSIONS: Longitudinal change in social participation in the chronic phase of msTBI deserves further study, with attention to resource limitations and the impact of changes in functional status.