Interpreting facial expression and communication competence following severe traumatic brain injury

Background: Facial expression is generally understood as playing a crucial role in communication, conveying both information and emotion. This study explored the nexus between the ability to interpret facial expression and communication competence for individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Aims: Three research questions were addressed. The first two questions involved a comparison of TBI and control participants on perceived communication competence, and ability to interpret facial expression. The third research question addressed whether a relationship exists between ability to interpret facial expression and perceived communication competence, in individuals with TBI.

Methods & Procedures: Participants included 12 individuals with severe TBI (PTA>7 days), and a group of matched controls. A measure of perceived communication competence (the La Trobe Communication Questionnaire, LCQ) and a measure related to the interpretation of facial expression (the Emotion Evaluation Test) were administered to TBI and control participants All participants nominated a “close‐other” who completed the close‐other form of the LCQ.

Outcomes & Results: Results revealed that TBI participants were perceived to have significantly more difficulties with communication than control participants (p = .002). Similarly, results also revealed that TBI participants had significantly more difficulty interpreting facial expression than control participants (p<.001). Pearson's Correlation Coefficient (r) calculations demonstrated a significant relationship between ability to interpret facial expression and close‐other perception of communication competence (r = .532).

Conclusions: Results are consistent with previous research, and suggest that ability to interpret facial expression is closely related to perceived communication competence, in individuals with TBI. This understanding has implications for rehabilitation and may inform the development of treatment strategies specifically targeting impairment in the ability to read facial expression.