Stressful Life Events Are Associated with Self-Reported Fatigue and Depressive Symptoms in Patients with Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

Abstract Objective: To examine the associations between recent stressful life events and self-reported fatigue and depressive symptoms in patients with mild traumatic brain injury. Design: Observational cohort study. Participants: Patients (aged 18–68 years) with mild traumatic brain injury (n = 99) or lower extremity orthopaedic injury (n = 34). Methods: Data on stressful life events and self-reported symptoms were collected 3 months post-injury. Stressful life events in the last 12 months were assessed as part of a structured interview using a checklist of 11 common life events, self-reported fatigue with Barrow Neurological Institute Fatigue Scale, and depressive symptoms with Beck Depression Inventory – Fast Screen. Results: Median number of stressful life events was 1 (range 0–7) in the mild traumatic brain injury group and 1.5 (range 0–6) in the orthopaedic injury group. The groups did not differ significantly in terms of fatigue or depressive symptoms. In the mild traumatic brain injury group, the total number of recent stressful life events correlated significantly with self-reported fatigue (rs = 0.270, p = 0.007) and depressive symptoms (rs = 0.271, p = 0.007). Conclusion: Stressful life events are associated with self-reported fatigue and depressive symptoms in patients with mild traumatic brain injury. Clinicians should consider stressful life events when managing patients who experience these symptoms, as this may help identifying potential targets for intervention.