• Heather G Belanger, Rael T Lange, Jason Bailie, Grant L Iverson, Jacques P Arrieux, Brian J Ivins, and Wesley R Cole.
• a Department of Mental Health and Behavioral Sciences , James A. Haley VAMC , Tampa , FL , USA.
• Clin Neuropsychol. 2016 Oct 1; 30 (7): 1063-73.

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence and stability of symptom reporting in a healthy military sample and to develop reliable change indices for two commonly used self-report measures in the military health care system.Participants And MethodParticipants were 215 U.S. active duty service members recruited from Fort Bragg, NC as normal controls as part of a larger study. Participants completed the Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory (NSI) and Posttraumatic Checklist (PCL) twice, separated by approximately 30 days.ResultsDepending on the endorsement level used (i.e. ratings of 'mild' or greater vs. ratings of 'moderate' or greater), approximately 2-15% of this sample met DSM-IV symptom criteria for Postconcussional Disorder across time points, while 1-6% met DSM-IV symptom criteria for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Effect sizes for change from Time 1 to Time 2 on individual symptoms were small (Cohen's d = .01 to .13). The test-retest reliability for the NSI total score was r = .78 and the PCL score was r = .70. An eight-point change in symptom reporting represented reliable change on the NSI total score, with a seven-point change needed on the PCL.ConclusionsPostconcussion-like symptoms are not unique to mild TBI and are commonly reported in a healthy soldier sample. It is important for clinicians to use normative data when evaluating a service member or veteran and when evaluating the likelihood that a change in symptom reporting is reliable and clinically meaningful.

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