Concussions and Interpersonal Physical Violence Perpetration Among U.S. College Students

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the association between number of lifetime concussions and interpersonal physical violence perpetration among college students. Cross-sectional data from three survey years (2017–2020) of the national (U.S.) Healthy Minds Study (HMS; N = 2268) were analyzed. Multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted with number of lifetime diagnosed and undiagnosed concussions as the independent variables and interpersonal physical violence perpetration as the dependent variable, while adjusting for demographic and behavioral variables. Male participants who reported a lifetime history of three or more diagnosed (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 2.75, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.02–7.43) or undiagnosed (AOR 2.80, 95% CI 1.23–6.64) concussions, compared with those who reported neither, had the highest odds of interpersonal physical violence perpetration in the past 12 months. Health care and college health professionals should assess for interpersonal violence among college students, particularly male students, who report concussion symptoms.