Honors Theses and Capstones

Date Completed

Spring 2026

Abstract

Balance deficits following repeated mild traumatic brain injuries are well documented, yet research examining the delayed outcomes specifically in college-aged women remains limited. The present study investigated whether women with a history of two or more mTBIs exhibit lasting balance impairments compared to women with zero or one prior mTBI, tested at least six months after their most recent injury. Thirty-four English-speaking women (ages 18-30) recruited from the University of New Hampshire were assigned to a repetitive mTBI group or a control group. Balance was assessed using the Balance Error Scoring System and a MetaMotion inertial measurement sensor positioned on the upper back, which recorded angular velocity across three axes during each stance condition. Groups were comparable on age, education, and socioeconomic status. The repetitive mTBI group demonstrated significantly greater rotational sway during the tandem stance on a firm surface, a large effect that remained significant after applying Welch’s correction for unequal variances. A marginally significant difference in Z-axis sway also emerged during the double leg stance on a foam surface, though this did not survive variance correction. Balance error scores trended in the expected direction but did not reach significance. These findings suggest that repeated concussions appear to cause long-term impairments in vestibular control of rotation in college-aged women, detectable under demanding balance conditions even after symptom resolution. Objective inertial measurement may offer greater sensitivity than observational scoring alone in post-concussion evaluation.

Keywords: mild traumatic brain injury, repeated concussions, balance, postural control, vestibular function, Balance Error Scoring System, inertial measurement, college-aged women

Document Type

Undergraduate Thesis

First Advisor

Daniel R. Seichepine

Second Advisor

Brett M. Gibson

College or School

COLA

Department or Program

Psychology

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

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