Sex-Based Differences in Perceived Pragmatic Communication Ability of Adults With Traumatic Brain Injury

Abstract Objective To identify sex-based differences in self-reported and close other–reported perceptions of communication behaviors in adults with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Design Between-groups comparison of questionnaire data from men and women with TBI and their close others. Setting University academic department. Participants Adults with medically documented TBI (n=160) and adults without TBI (n=81; control group) (N=241). Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measure La Trobe Communication Questionnaire, a standardized measure of communication problems in everyday life. Results Participants with TBI endorsed more communication problems than controls ( P P =.20) or in the ratings of close others ( P =.09) in communication behaviors of men with TBI compared with women with TBI. There was no difference between the self-ratings of women with TBI and their close others ( P =.59). However, men with TBI significantly underreported communication problems compared with reports of close others ( P Conclusions Women with TBI might be more accurate than men with TBI in recognizing their own pragmatic communication problems.