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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 25(1)

Parent–child interaction after mild traumatic injury in preschoolers

Joy Noelle Yumul https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8439-0020 A B * , Vicki Anderson https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5233-3147 A B C D , Cathy Catroppa https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9750-0436 A B C D and Audrey McKinlay https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9846-8514 A B E
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Melbourne, Vic. Australia.

B Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.

C Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.

D The Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.

E Department of Psychology, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand.

* Correspondence to: joynoelle.yumul@mcri.edu.au

Handling Editor: Jenny Fleming

Brain Impairment 25, IB23089 https://doi.org/10.1071/IB23089
Submitted: 19 July 2023  Accepted: 31 July 2023  Published: 16 January 2024

© 2024 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing on behalf of the Australasian Society for the Study of Brain Impairment.

Abstract

Background

This exploratory study sought to describe parent–child interaction after a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) or mild limb injury (LI), and to examine the relationship between the quality of interactions and child/parent characteristics (e.g. developmental status, pre-injury behaviour, parental stress), post-concussive symptoms (PCS), and post-injury behaviour.

Methods

Children aged 2–5 years and their parents were recruited from the emergency department (ED). Nine child–parent dyads (mTBI n = 6, LI n = 3) agreed to participate in the direct observation of parent–child interaction at 1 week post-injury. PCS were assessed during ED presentation, at 1 month, and 3 months post-injury, and post-injury behaviour was assessed at the 3-month follow-up.

Results

Parent–child interaction was suboptimal for most of the dyads at 1 week following a mild traumatic injury in preschoolers. The quality of interaction was positively related to the child’s developmental status, and negatively related to parental stress, acute PCS, and pre- and post-injury behaviour.

Conclusions

Further research is needed to expound on parent–child interactions post-mTBI and to determine their predictive utility for parent-rated child outcomes. Both parent and child aspects of the interaction may provide useful information regarding potential avenues for clinical intervention post-injury.

Keywords: behaviour problems, concussion, emotional availability, mild TBI, parent–child interaction, parental stress, post-concussive symptoms, preschool.

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