Exploring the Feasibility of Self-Reported Cognitive Fatigue in Children With and Without Traumatic Brain Injury After Functional Experimental Tasks

Purpose: The overall purpose of this study was to explore the feasibility of collecting subjective measures of cognitive fatigue in children with and without traumatic brain injury (TBI) before and after functional, experimental tasks. Method: Seven participants (i.e., two children with TBI and five children without TBI) completed the experimental tasks for this study. Demographics, injury information, and executive functioning were collected through an online, parent-reported survey. Self-reported ratings of cognitive fatigue were collected from children through an online survey and before and after four in-person experimental tasks, including two high-demand and two low-demand tasks. Results: All participants successfully completed the experimental tasks including self-rating cognitive fatigue before beginning the experiment and after each experimental task. While cognitive fatigue patterns were inconsistent across participants, changes in self-ratings were observed, demonstrating the feasibility of the tasks and measure for children with and without TBI. Conclusion: The findings from this preliminary study of a small sample support the feasibility of and continued research on self-ratings to better understand, assess, and manage cognitive fatigue after childhood TBI.