Trajectories of life satisfaction in Hispanic individuals over the 10 years after traumatic brain injury: A model systems study

Purpose To identify life satisfaction trajectories at 1-10 years post-traumatic brain injury (TBI) and examine which demographic and injury characteristics at the time of injury are associated with those trajectories. Methods Participants included 1,051 Hispanic individuals from the multi-site, longitudinal TBI Model Systems (TBIMS) database. Individuals were enrolled after sustaining a TBI and while undergoing inpatient rehabilitation at a TBIMS site; they were included if they completed the Satisfaction with Life Scale during one or more follow-up data collections at 1, 2, 5, or 10 years after TBI. Results A linear (straight-line) movement of life satisfaction trajectories was the best fit to the data. Across the overall sample, life satisfaction increased over time, with higher trajectories for Hispanic individuals who had been partnered at baseline, born outside the US and experienced a nonviolent injury cause. There were no significant interactions between time and any of these main effect predictors, suggesting no differential change over time in life satisfaction trajectories as a function of these characteristics. Conclusions Results revealed increases in life satisfaction over time among Hispanic individuals with TBI and shed light on critical risks and protective factors that may inform targeted rehabilitation services with this underserved group.