This graph shows a test pattern which correlates to a diagnosis of permanent brain injury.
Normal IQ after Brain Injury
The IQ only measures certain brain abilities, those primarily cognitive in nature. While TBI may be a cognitive disorder, it is also usually far more effecting emotions, behavior and decision making. The neuropsychological assessment is designed to evaluate a comprehensive cross section of change to the person after brain injury. Just because the person that suffered an accident has a normal IQ after brain injury doesn’t mean that they have not suffered a traumatic brain injury.
A normal IQ results, or even high individual test scores, do not rule out brain injury. If a person had a 130 IQ pre-morbidly and a 100 IQ post-morbidly, this would clearly establish injury. Further, many seriously brain injured survivors maintain an IQ scores near their pre-injury levels. It is not whether scores are in the average range that are significant. It is the pattern of the scores and deficits that may show pathology.
As you can see in the graph on your right, a person can even score higher on their IQ test after an accident but that is not a good indication of brain injury. Not all of us have take n IQ tests. With this being said, you may not even know what your IQ is or have an accurate assessment of it. There are so many IQ tests out there who is to say which demonstrates an individuals IQ to the exact number. So needless to say when testing your IQ after an accident that may have caused a traumatic brain injury, the results may not be an accurate comparison in the first place.
NEXT: Neuropsychological Assessment After TBI
The bulk of the information on this page now appears at https://tbilaw.com/neuropsychologypage.html
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