Trait vs. trajectory: Conceptualizations of resilience after mild traumatic brain injury

Mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs) are associated with various physical, cognitive, and behavioral/emotional problems. Resilience has been conceptualized as both a personal “trait” and an outcome “trajectory”. The objective of this study was to examine the association between 1) “trait” resilience and outcome trajectory of posttraumatic headache, and 2) to examine the relationship of both resilience constructs with various outcomes. Follow-up questionnaires at 12 months post mTBI included assessments of depression, posttraumatic stress, functional impairment, and quality of life. From this sample (N=212), positive (resilient) and negative headache trajectory categories were created, with 49 individuals (23%) in the positive group. Univariate analyses and logistic regression models were run to assess the relationship between “trait” resilience, headache trajectory, and outcomes of interest. For every one point increase in CD-RISC, the odds of having a positive trajectory increased by 6%, but results were not significant after adjustment for demographic variables. “Trait” resilience was significantly related to various adverse psychological and functional outcomes after mTBI. Individuals displaying a resilient trajectory were significantly less likely to meet DSM-IV clinical criteria for depression or PTSD and to have functional impairments.