Search

Objective: Electrical injury (EI) is a significant, multifaceted trauma often with multi-domain cognitive sequelae, even when the expected current path does not pass through the brain. Chronic pain (CP) research suggests pain may affect cognition directly and indirectly by influencing emotional distress which then impacts cognitive functioning. As chronic pain may be critical to understanding EI-related cognitive difficulties, the aims of the current study were: examine the direct and indirect effects of pain on cognition following EI and compare the relationship between pain and cognition in EI and CP populations. Method: This cross-sectional study used data from a clinical sample of 50 patients with EI (84.0% male; M age = 43.7 years) administered standardized measures of pain (Pain Patient Profile), depression, and neurocognitive functioning. A CP comparison sample of 93 patients was also included. Results: Higher pain levels were associated with poorer attention/processing speed and executive functioning performance among patients with EI. Depression was significantly correlated with pain and mediated the relationship between pain and attention/processing speed in patients with EI. When comparing the patients with EI and CP, the relationship between pain and cognition was similar for both clinical groups. Conclusions: Findings indicate that pain impacts mood and cognition in patients with EI, and the influence of pain and its effect on cognition should be considered in the assessment and treatment of patients who have experienced an electrical injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Questionnaires designed to measure the perceived value of technical terminology for psycholegal reports were completed by 67 judges, 78 forensic psychiatrists, and 126 forensic psychologists. Judges were asked for ratings of the degree to which each term aids their understanding, and clinicians were asked for ratings of the likelihood that they would use each term in a report for the court. Rank-ordered ratings of the 45 terms were highly correlated among the three respondent groups, suggesting that forensic clinicians are generally aware of the problem of using incomprehensible psychojargon. Empirical ratings can be helpful in distinguishing between comprehensible and incomprehensible psychojargon for psycholegal use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses key issues and developments relevant to training paraprofessionals in the treatment of alcoholism in Detroit. Differences in the effects of alcoholism resulting to prior history of alcohol and drug abuse; Attitude toward alcoholism pre and post for prior abusers and non-abusers; Choice of therapy technique pre- and post-training; Implications for the treatment of alcoholism.

A program for the training of paraprofessionals in alcoholism is outlined, and the characteristic of persons attracted are described. The ejects of the program on a pilot group of 13 are evaluated. The training program attracts persons familiar with alcoholism through personal experience or previous helping experience. It modifies the trainees' attitude toward alcoholism as an illness and some personality traits, but does not increase the information about alcoholism in this already moderately knowledgeable group. The most important effect is the change in trainees' therapeutic technique from directive to non-directive. Follow-up indicates that the program enables trainees to use more techniques in their treatment of alcoholics and to progress to higher level jobs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article investigates the population of a court study unit using the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale and Minnesota Multiphasial Personality Inventory. The characteristics of the total population were enumerated and a comparison was drawn between those patients judged competent and those judged incompetent in an attempt to generate some consistent criteria of incompetency. The findings suggest that, though some differences do emerge, consistent criteria are not apparent. A breakdown of the population into three subgroups suggests that the criteria vary somewhat depending upon the type of patient.

The article reports on the relationship of Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) alcoholism, prison escape, hostility control and recidivism scales to clinical judgment. The Hc, Ec, Re and Ah experimental scales from the MMPI were investigated to determine their relationship with standard MMPI scales and relevant behavioral and clinical judgments. The Ec and Ah scales appeared to be related to some clinical judgments, but the Rc and Hc scales did not. Conclusions on the comparative validity of the actuarial and clinical predictions for this population must await completion further studies.