Academic and Intellectual Functioning of Adolescents with Closed Head Injury

Abstract

Adolescents with head injury often return to school and experience difficulty in their academic pursuits. A cademic and intellectual functioning of adolescents with closed head injury (CHI) was assessed immediately and six months posttrauma. Data on school and health history were also collected. T-tests and chi-square analyses were used to determine differences between the CHI group (n = 33) and their matched controls (n = 32). Results indicated that both initially and at six months postinjury the CHI group was functioning lower academically and intellectually in comparison to their peers. No differences were found in their developmental or psychiatric history. However, based upon data from a subset of the sample, the CHI group had lower English grades and grade point averages the year prior to their injury. Three areas for further research are discussed.

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