A comparative analysis of causal attribution between post-secondary students diagnosed with a mild to moderate traumatic brain injury and students without a mild to moderate traumatic brain injury.

Abstract

The focus of the study consisted of a comparative analysis of the causal attributions of students who have, and have not, been diagnosed with a mild to moderate traumatic brain injury (M/MTBI). The experimental and control groups were matched on age, gender, and educational setting. Brain injury was measured by diagnosis and medical assessment. Causal attribution was ascertained through personal responses to a scenario-oriented dimension scale. Causal attribution in a failure situation was examined using three dimension: locus, stability and controllability. Controllability was further divided into personal and external control. Students with a M/MTBI attribute the cause of failure significantly more to an internal, stable and uncontrollable cause; however, there was no significant difference with external control. Attributing failure to an internal, stable and uncontrollable cause can create a sense of helplessness and emotional distress. It is important for counsellors, instructors and peers to develop a better understanding and acceptance of students diagnosed with a M/MTBI. With deeper understanding comes acceptance and the opportunity for students to succeed and learn new ways to cope with the diagnosis of an injury. This research will broaden the domain of causal attribution and advance the theory where there is currently no attributional research. Through the completion of this study other researchers should be able to replicate and expand future exploration in the area of causal attribution as it relates to M/MTBI.