Investigating the discrepancy between subjective and objective cognitive impairment following acquired brain injury: The role of psychological affect

Background: Previous research examining the use of self-reported cognitive impairment as a reliable predictor of actual objective cognitive impairment (OCI) has provided mixed results.

Objective: The current study aimed to examine the potential discrepancy between subjective and objective cognitive impairment in a sample of individuals with an acquired brain injury (ABI).

Method: Twenty-four participants, recruited from a community brain injury service, completed an objective neuropsychological assessment and a series of self-report questionnaires assessing psychological affect and perceived cognitive difficulties.

Results: Correlational analyses revealed no association between objective cognitive impairment and self-reported subjective cognitive impairment. Conversely, psychological affect, such as anxiety and depression, was found to be highly correlated with subjective cognitive impairment. A hierarchical regression analysis revealed psychological affect as a significant predictor of subjective cognitive impairment. Objectively measured cognitive impairment was found to be non-significant.

Conclusions: These findings suggest that an individual's subjective experience of their cognitive difficulties following ABI are not associated with their actual objective cognitive impairment. Clinicians may benefit from considering other possible psychological factors that may play a more crucial role in a patient's appraisals of their cognitive impairments.