Investigating a Proposed Model of Social Competence in Children With Traumatic Brain Injuries

The goal of the current study was to test a proposed model of social competence for children who have suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI). We hypothesized that both peer and teacher reports of social behavior would mediate the relation between intraindividual characteristics (e.g., executive function) and peer acceptance. Participants were 52 children with TBI (M age = 10.29; M time after injury: 2.46 years). Severity of TBI ranged from complicated mild to severe. Classroom and laboratory measures were used to assess executive function, social behavior, and peer acceptance. Analyses revealed that peer reports of social behavior were a better mediator than teacher reports of the associations between executive function, social behaviors, and peer acceptance. The results underscore the importance of including peer reports of social behavior when developing interventions designed to improve the social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes of children with TBI.