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Brain Impairment

Table of Contents - 01 December 2011 - Volume 12, Issue 03  

Articles

National Taiwan University Irritability Scale: Evaluating Irritability in Patients With Traumatic Brain Injury

Chi-Cheng Yanga1, Sheng-Jean Huanga2, Wei-Chi Lina3, Yi-Hsin Tsaia4 and Mau-Sun Huaa5 c1 huams@ntu.edu.tw

a1 Department of Occupational Therapy, Master of Behavioral Sciences, Clinical Psychology Program, Taoyuan, Taiwan.

a2 Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Surgical Department, Medical College, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.

a3 Department of Occupational Therapy, Master of Behavioral Sciences, Clinical Psychology Program, Taoyuan, Taiwan.

a4 Department of Traumatology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.

a5 Department of Psychology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan. ccyang@mail.cgu.edu.tw

Abstract

Irritability is not uncommon after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Unfortunately, no instruments are available to directly measure this clinical feature. This study thus aimed to develop a specific scale to evaluate the irritability for patients with TBI. A total of 144 participants, which include 80 healthy participants and 64 patients suffering from TBI, were recruited. Irritability was assessed by the National Taiwan University Irritability Scale (NTUIS). Our results showed the NTUIS has good reliability. The factor analysis further revealed 2 different components: annoyance, and verbal aggression. Moreover, both self-reported and family-reported irritability postinjury were significantly higher than the irritability reported by the healthy participants. Indeed patients with TBI have significant problems with irritability after injuries, and thus a more specific assessment tool to carefully evaluate patients' irritability should be used.

Keywords

  • irritability;
  • traumatic brain injury;
  • scale

Correspondence:

c1 Address for correspondence: Professor Mau-Sun Hua, Department of Psychology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, No. 1, Sec 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei, Taiwan.