Longitudinal study reveals stable alexithymia and modest depressive recovery after acquired brain injury, highlighting the need for early psychological assessment.
Key Points
Investigate the longitudinal trajectories of alexithymia and depressive symptoms over 24 months post-acquired brain injury and determine their directional associations.
Assessed 116 individuals with acquired brain injury (mean age 44 years; 61% male; 82% moderate-to-severe ABI) at baseline (within two years post-injury), 3, 12, and 24 months.
Administered the Perth Alexithymia Questionnaire and the depression subscale of the Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale.
Utilized Bayesian latent growth models and cross-lagged panel models to evaluate change, co-development, and temporal associations.
Mean alexithymia scores remained stable across time points, whereas depressive symptoms exhibited modest improvement.
Both constructs showed moderate temporal stability and were associated at baseline, but demonstrated no consistent directional relationship over time.
Cross-lagged models exhibited poor overall fit, and the cohort had substantial missing data at 24 months (75%).