Associations between Cumulative Concussion and Academic Success in University Students

• Main Author: Broggi, Michael
• Format: Others
• Published: ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst 2020
• Subjects: concussion; academics; Clinical Psychology
• Online Access: https://scholarworks.umass.edu/masters_theses_2/948; https://scholarworks.umass.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1999&context=masters_theses_2

Individuals with a history of multiple concussions may be at risk for relative weaknesses in executive functioning and processing speed. These weaknesses could adversely influence academic skills and academic success. This study determined if the relative weaknesses in executive functions and processing speed mediate associations between multiple concussions and academic outcomes in university students. To achieve this aim, university students with a history of three or more concussions (n = 58) were compared to two control groups (ns = 57) on measures of executive functions, processing speed, academic skills, and academic success. Results indicated no significant differences between the groups on measures of executive functioning or processing speed. The multiple concussion group endorsed significantly more psychological symptoms, had a slower reading rate, and had a lower grade point average (GPA) than controls with no history of concussion. Executive functioning and processing speed did not mediate the associations between concussion status and academic skills or academic success. Future research should investigate other potential mediators, such as psychological symptoms, that may account for differences in academic skills and performance amongst students with multiple concussions.