Is performance on the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence associated with employment outcome following brain injury?

Abstract

Return to work represents a significant marker of functional outcome for persons who have suffered a brain injury. Neuropsychological assessment forms an integral part of treatment planning following brain injury and aims to document cognitive strengths and weaknesses, including general intellectual abilities. Neuropsychological testing has been criticised for having limited ability to predict functional outcomes such as return to work. The present study sought to examine the association between return to work following ABI and the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI). Patient files in a community neurorehabilatation service were reviewed retrospectively and 52 individuals were identified who had been employed at the time of their injury and for whom a WASI was completed. The study found full-scale IQ, verbal IQ, the similarities sub-test, and severity of injury to be associated with return to work.

Functional limitations in TBI and their relationship to job maintenance following work re-entry

“…This finding is consistent with the TBI literature [7,10,13,17,26,28,29,32,35,36,39,41,48,49]. Individuals who struggle with memory impairments may forget important items, such as directions, meeting times, deadlines, work procedures, or tools.…”

“…Functional limitations include a wide array of symptoms that vary in type, duration or intensity, and include sensory, gross and fine motor, physiological, communication, emotional, and cognitive impairments. Concomitant psychological syndromes such as anxiety and depression may also occur in addition to personality changes [11,13,14,30,32,[38][39][40][41]. Many authors cite cognitive and emotional deficits as the most persistent and disabling, particularly in terms of employment [7,13,17,29,35,41].…”

Job stability in skilled work and communication ability after moderate–severe traumatic brain injury

“…24,27-31 However, rehabilitation research has focused almost exclusively on neuropsychological measures and functional rating scales as predictors of work return. 10,11,17,20,32-51 Reviews of the return-to-work literature show that neuropsychological measures are inconsistent in predicting employment outcomes. 27,28 The same studies, however, mention communication skills as potentially important predictors.…”

Early neuropsychological tests as correlates of productivity 1 year after traumatic brain injury: a preliminary matched case–control study

“…As noted by Roberts et al (2004), studies controlling for possible confounding variables are needed to provide stronger evidence for the clinical utility of neuropsychological measures in predicting employment outcome after a brain injury. As noted by Roberts et al (2004), studies controlling for possible confounding variables are needed to provide stronger evidence for the clinical utility of neuropsychological measures in predicting employment outcome after a brain injury.…”