ABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to investigate the psychometric properties and screening accuracy of the Brain Injury Screening Index (BISI), a self-report questionnaire designed to identify a history of acquired brain injury. The study was conducted in a closed male prison in the UK. The purposive sample comprised 55 male prisoners who arrived at the establishment during the study. A repeated measures design was used, where the Brain Injury Screening Index (BISI) was administered on three occasions. Inter-rater reliability was poor to moderate, but test retest reliability was moderate to good. Medical records were not available for all participants, but the limited number obtained resulted in a sensitivity of .38 to .71 and specificity of .47 to .70 across the three screening administrations of the BISI. The limitations of the present findings are discussed in the context of the use of the tool in custodial environments. It is argued that these results suggest that, when used as recommended, the BISI has acceptable reliability and validity as an initial screen for identifying individuals who should receive support and a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment, and it merits further investigation and development.
Subject(s)
Brain Injuries/diagnosis , Criminals , Neuropsychological Tests/standards , Psychometrics/standards , Self Report/standards , Adult , Brain Concussion/diagnosis , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Prisons , Psychometrics/instrumentation , Reproducibility of Results , Sensitivity and SpecificityABSTRACT
Evidence suggests that traumatic brain injury (TBI) is more prevalent amongst offender populations than in the general population, and that it can lead to aggressive behaviour while in custody and impair engagement with offender rehabilitation programmes. The aim of this study was to develop, implement, and evaluate a brain injury Linkworker approach designed to support prisoners who report a significant TBI or multiple mild TBIs. Three clinical case examples are reported to illustrate the conceptual foundations of the approach and to demonstrate the feasibility of the service. Early results showed that engagement with a Linkworker led to effective identification of key areas of intervention and resulted in better integration for prisoners while in custody and in enhancement of the outcomes of offender rehabilitation. These initial findings provide justification for wider implementation and systematic evaluation of the efficacy of this model of service.
