Methodological problems in assessing psychosocial recovery following severe head injury.

A number of specific methodological issues have arisen in studies of the social, emotional, and behavioural sequelae of head injury. The accounts given by patients and relatives may differ: Patients may lack insight, and relatives--who are often under considerable stress--may themselves give distorted accounts. Moreover, the sequelae of head injury may not all be specific to brain injury but may include effects common to other forms of traumatic injury: The use of control groups may help disentangle specific and non-specific effects.