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Treating Psychosocial Barriers in Patients with Traumatic Brain Injuries in a Transdisciplinary Biopsychosocial Therapeutic Community Model

P-023 - (Poster #23) Treating Psychosocial Barriers in Patients with Traumatic Brain Injuries in a Transdisciplinary Biopsychosocial Therapeutic Community Model

Thursday, September 4, 2025
4:00 PM - 5:30 PM PST
Location:  Exhibit Hall (Level 4)
Background: Psychosocial factors have been shown to hinder recovery in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Pain catastrophizing is common and correlates with reduced function and self-efficacy. A transdisciplinary program helps patients with cognitive, psychological and functional deficits due to TBI improve self-efficacy using a biopsychosocial therapeutic community approach.

Purpose/Objectives: Examine the association between treatment duration and post-treatment pain catastrophizing in a population of patients with pain catastrophizing at treatment initiation receiving transdisciplinary biopsychosocial community model treatment for brain injuries.

Methods: Data came from a brain injury treatment program, and included treatment duration, demographics, location, and Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS) scores at the start and end of treatment. PCS scores greater than 30 indicated clinically relevant pain catastrophizing. Patients were excluded if they did not start care from January 1st, 2021 to September 30th, 2024 or lacked clinically relevant pain catastrophizing. A multivariable logistic model assessed the association between treatment hours (log-transformed, base 2) and clinically relevant pain catastrophizing at completion, controlling for initial PCS score, age, gender, treatment location, and first responder status.

Results: The analysis included 149 patients. Longer treatment duration was significantly associated with lower likelihood of clinically relevant pain catastrophizing at completion (odds ratio: 0.66; 95% confidence interval: 0.47-0.93). Higher initial PCS scores were associated with greater likelihood of pain catastrophizing at completion (odds ratio: 1.10; 95% confidence interval: 1.04-1.17). There was no significant association between likelihood of clinically relevant pain catastrophizing at treatment completion and age, gender, treatment location, or first responder status.

Conclusions/Implications for future research and/or clinical care: Patients with greater treatment duration had significantly lower likelihood of pain catastrophizing at completion. Given that pain catastrophizing has been shown to negatively impact functionality and self-efficacy, this suggests that the program may help patients overcome psychosocial barriers to recovery.