Traumatic brain injury: Misconceptions and where they come from 

by Daniel Earnshaw former Assistant Psychologist (Research) 

 

A recent trend on Australian TikTok “run it straight” popularised a game where two participants run at one another to achieve a full body collision. In many of these videos, participants appear to recover quickly from these collisions despite likely being concussed [1]. Concussion is a term often used to refer to traumatic brain injury, so this got us thinking about how the media (amongst other sources) shapes our knowledge about traumatic brain injury (TBI). In this edition of Research Digest, we’ll take a look at what we know, what misconceptions people hold, and who holds them. 

What brain injury misconceptions do people commonly hold? 

Misconceptions about brain injury can be quite varied and a few studies have attempted to identify gaps in people’s knowledge. For example, De Araújo and colleague’s survey study in the Brazilian population [2], found that the majority of participants gave wrong answers on multiple questions about concussion and brain injury. Some examples of such questions include whether it was easy to tell if someone had brain damage from a concussion, if resting after a concussion was advisable, and whether recovery from a concussion was possible at all. Other common areas of misconception include believing that everyone with a TBI will have good awareness into their condition [2 – 4] even though it has been found that many of those with a TBI will display low insight into their TBI and how it impacts on their abilities [5]. 

Who holds these misconceptions? 

Although it is the general public who often holds these misconceptions, they also appear to be common among professionals, such as the police force [3], probation officers [4], teachers [6 – 7], military personnel [8] and even health care staff [9 -10]. Studies suggest that such misconceptions and gaps in knowledge are perpetuated through inadequate, or even complete, lack of training regarding brain injury within these groups [3 – 4, 9 -10].  

Block and colleagues [11] carried out a comprehensive literature review on the subject of misconceptions about TBI and suggested that one of the main ways in which people attain their knowledge of TBI is through media such as TV and the internet, with both having a great potential for misinformation. They noted that the information on the internet, especially on social networking sites, is quite variable in its accuracy and comprehensibility. The authors also suggested that education which helps people to discriminate between valid and invalid data sources may help them to avoid learning and internalising false information.  

Aitken and colleagues [12] identified action films as perpetuating many common TBI misconceptions, such as fast and unrealistic recoveries and a complete lack of symptoms after TBI. The authors ga ve this particular salience, as film has such global exposure and head injuries were so commonly depicted in action films with a head injury occurring approximately 47 times per film in the 20 action films they analysed! 

Other studies such as McLellan and McKinlay’s [13] have suggested that the way concussions are portrayed in sports may also contribute to misconceptions. The authors found that many rugby players returned to play even when visibly concussed. However, while a decision to return to play may be rooted in misconception, some may be motivated instead by a desire to meet expectations from their peers or simply to continue playing. As McLellan and McKinlay noted, the decision to return to play in professional settings is guided by medical assessment. Nonetheless, they suggest that people playing such sports may not always manage injuries properly due to what they have seen on television. 

Many of the studies discussed in this edition of research digest come from a variety of geographical locations and cultures, which may impact on people’s knowledge and understanding of brain injury, although some aspects of the experience of having a brain injury, such as stigma and social isolation, may be universal [14]. However, when these studies have been conducted may also have an influence. Some studies suggest that understanding and knowledge of brain injury has improved over time [15] but there are others which suggest that many misconceptions persist despite these improvements [7], in particular with regards to the socioemotional, behavioural and cognitive consequences that may persist over time. Initiatives like action for brain injury week, which has just passed (18-24 May), brain awareness week (every March), or media that portray what happens after a brain injury more accurately, are all indicators of a society which has taken great strides towards increasing our understanding of this neurological condition. However, there are always improvements to be made, so readers are welcome to test their knowledge in our five-question quiz. 

 

References 

[1] Synapse. (n.d.). Run it straight response. Retrieved March 3, 2026, from https://synapse.org.au/news/run-it-straight-response/ 

[2] De Araújo, A. V. L., Areza-Fegyveres, R., Guariglia, C. C., Ianof, J. N., Baratho, R. M., Demario, J. L. C., Watanabe, R. G. S., & Anghinah, R. (2021). Level of knowledge and misconceptions about brain concussion in Brazilian adults. Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria, 79(6), 469–477. 

[3] McMillan, T. M. (2022). Knowledge about head injury in police custody staff and implications for training. Forensic Science International: Mind and Law, 3, 100105. 

[4] O’Rourke, C., Linden, M. A., & Lohan, M. (2017). Misconceptions about traumatic brain injury among probation services. Disability and Rehabilitation, 40(10), 1119–1126.  

[5] Dromer, E., Kheloufi, L., & Azouvi, P. (2021). Impaired self-awareness after traumatic brain injury: a systematic review. Part 1: Assessment, clinical aspects and recovery. Annals of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, 64(5), 101468.  

[6] Linden, M. A., Braiden, H.-J., & Miller, S. (2012). Educational professionals’ understanding of childhood traumatic brain injury. Brain Injury, 27(1), 92–102. 

[7] McKinlay, A., & Buck, K. (2018). Misconceptions about traumatic brain injury among educators: Has anything changed over the last 20 years? Disability and Rehabilitation, 41(12), 1419–1426. 

[8] Bradford, L. S. (2015). Misconceptions about traumatic brain injury among U.S. Army behavioral health professionals. Rehabilitation Psychology, 60(4), 344–352.  

[9] Swift, T. L., Wilson, S. L. (2001). Misconceptions about brain injury among the general public and non-expert health professionals: an exploratory study. Brain Injury, 15(2), 149–165.  

[10] Norman, A., Holloway, M., Odumuyiwa, T., Kennedy, M., Forrest, H., Suffield, F., & Dicks, H. (2020). Accepting what we do not know: A need to improve professional understanding of brain Injury in the UK. Health & Social Care in the Community, 28(6), 2037–2049.  

[11] Block, C. K., West, S. E., & Goldin, Y. (2015). Misconceptions and misattributions about traumatic brain injury: an integrated conceptual framework. PM & R, 8(1), 58-68. 

[12] Aitken, T., Bai, M., Bell, R., Christopher, L., Dixon, S., Farley, G., … & Van Geest, N. (2016). Is film misleading young adults about traumatic brain injury. New Zealand University of Otago. 

[13] McLellan, T. L., & McKinlay, A. (2011). Does the way concussion is portrayed affect public awareness of appropriate concussion management: The case of rugby league. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 45(12), 993–996. 

[14] Simpson, G., Mohr, R., & Redman, A. (2000). Cultural variations in the understanding of traumatic brain injury and brain injury rehabilitation. Brain Injury, 14(2), 125-140. 

[15] Guilmette, T. (2004). The public’s misconceptions about traumatic brain injury: A follow up survey. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 19(2), 183–189.