Older adults and capacity-related assessment: promise and caution.

Data from 30 cognitively intact and emotionally stable Canadian elders provided support for the construct validity of the Hopemont Capacity Assessment Instrument and the Independent Living Scales. Subscale scores in the health or financial domains on these two capacity-related instruments were moderately correlated; weaker correlations were observed between ILS and HCAI subscales tapping discrepant domains. Training in thinking aloud and responding to hypothetical questions did not affect scores on these measures, nor were scores on brief depression and anxiety scales statistically associated with standing on capacity-related measures. Reading comprehension was associated with scores on the Hopemont Capacity Assessment Instrument.

Clinical utility of demographically corrected WAIS-III subtest scores after traumatic brain injury.

The present study explored the diagnostic accuracy of demographically corrected norms for the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Third Edition (WAIS-III) in a diverse sample of 57 patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and a matched group of 61 pseudoneurologic controls. The use of demographic corrections did not significantly improve the sensitivity or specificity of WAIS-III subtest scores to TBI relative to traditional age-corrected norms. Overall classification rates were quite good for both normative systems. Although the demographic corrections attenuate ethnicity differences on the subtest scores of TBI patients, the updated norms are no more or less beneficial than traditional age-corrected norms for neurodiagnostic purposes.

Perceptions of intimidation in the psychiatric educational environment in Edmonton, Alberta.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the perceptions of intimidation in the psychiatric educational environment in Edmonton, Alberta. METHODS: We distributed a 7-point modified Likert scale questionnaire that included questions with respect to intimidation perceptions and experience in psychiatry during a 1-week period to all student interns on psychiatry rotations, residents, and teaching faculty in the 5 teaching hospitals in Edmonton. RESULTS: A total of 92 individuals responded, with response rates of 81% for faculty, 82% for residents, and 84% for students. Response rates did not differ among sites. While there were differences between site and group with respect to comparing the perceived intimidation in psychiatry with other specialties, respondents did not view psychiatry as worse than other specialties. Although, overall, women perceived intimidation as more prevalent at their sites than did men, the overall means reflect sites that are relatively free from intimidation. Faculty and student interns within sites, except for the university hospital, tended to disagree on management's approach to perceived intimidation. All groups, however, reported little personal experience and felt their sites had little tolerance for intimidators. CONCLUSIONS: Reported perceptions and personal experiences of intimidation within the psychiatric learning environment in Edmonton are low.