Baseline concussion symptom scores vary between interview and computer self-report only for male college athletes

Abstract

We compared two modes of ascertaining symptom information in baseline concussion testing with 754 NCAA Division II collegiate athletes. All athletes reported symptoms in both a face-to-face structured clinical interview using the SCAT3 symptom scale items and the similar symptom self-report scale in the computerized ImPACT test. Males reported significantly more symptoms and with greater severity during the interview compared to the computerized self-report. If males report symptoms according to a different format in posttrauma assessments than baseline, differences may reflect mode of testing and not change due to concussion.