[5] The test, which can be self-administered or given by an interviewer, asks patients to rate the severity of 16 different symptoms commonly found after a mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI).
[11] The questionnaire can feasibly be used as any other neuropsychological test for assessment of concussions would, including following MTBI following accidents or sports-related injury.
In one study, health professionals cited organic causes in general as being most responsible for the development of PCS; however, emotional and compensatory causes have also been implicated as factors.
While the questionnaire includes symptoms non-specific to PCS, which allows for a broader range of diagnosis (i.e. of other conditions such as chronic pain), this is at the expense of precision.
[9] The questionnaire is a useful tool for assessing progress or regression of symptom severity, but it is not ideal for actual diagnosis as there is no standard criteria for what constitutes post-concussion syndrome.
The only feature characteristic of PCS that is generally agreed upon among health professionals is a significant impairment of the ability to function socially.
[9] Despite this, studies have used the RPQ as a way of meeting criteria that may not be universally agreed upon, such as those found in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (specifically DSM-IV-TR).
[4] In one study, higher average severity scores were associated with patients involved in litigation at the time the questionnaire was administered.
[9] Studies using other neuropsychological assessments for post-concussion syndrome or general cognitive performance have also shown poor test-taker effort to affect the reported severity of symptoms.