The present study investigated the rates and perceived effects of past traumatic brain injury (TBI) and substance use in a prison population. Responses to a questionnaire indicated that 86.4% of the 118 respondents had sustained a TBI, with 56.7% reporting more than one, and rates of illicit substance use were higher than the general population. Maori reported 12% more TBI and more substance use than non-Maori. All those with TBI reported difficulties with general memory and socialization on a problem rating scale, but there was no relationship between level of difficulty and severity of TBI, problems with interpersonal relationships, family, and finances were associated with greater substance use.
The Oracle of Delphi's admonition to 'know thyself' may be more difficult than it seems, when it comes to self-assessment of competence in cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT). This paper investigates the accuracy of self-rating of competence in relation to other measures such as 'direct' assessment of videotaped sessions or supervisor ratings. Self-assessment of competence is something most of us do and arguably has an important role in professional development, but it may also be biased and unreliable. Two measures were developed, based on the Cognitive Therapy ScaleRevised, to assess student and supervisor assessments of competence at the start and end of a CBT training course. Competence data across a range of measures from a 5-year audit of a postgraduate CBT course is presented and the relationship between self-rated and other-rated measures explored. Results are discussed and it is suggested that trainee self-assessment, while not found in this study to be correlated with other measure of competence, may provide important information about confidence development, and areas where a trainee perceives they have strengths and weaknesses.
This article investigates the development of competency in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) as a result of a postgraduate training course in CBT in Wellington, New Zealand. Thirteen experienced mental health professionals attended the half-time 30-week-long course. Preliminary data are presented on the development of knowledge as assessed at the beginning and end of the course by a modified version of the Behaviour Therapy Scale (Freiheit & Overholser, 1997), other-rated competence as measured by the Cognitive Therapy Scale—Revised (Blackburn, Milne, & James, 1997), and supervisor and student evaluations of competence in particular skill areas. All students improved in specific CBT skills as a result of training. The extent that students improved and variations around the other outcome measures, together with the limitations of this pilot study and suggestions for improvements for future investigations, are discussed.
Fifty subjects with a history of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and/or substance use, completed neuropsychological measures of short and long term verbal and visual memory, information processing, motor speed and co-ordination, executive functioning, and malingering. All subjects performed below norms on tests of verbal memory and verbal abstract thinking, but overall no differences were found due to either severity of TBI or level of substance use. Maori subjects obtained the lowest scores on tests of verbal ability, but also reported higher rates of TBI and substance use, which is presumed to account for this result. In conclusion, prison populations seem to have disproportionately high rates of TBI, recurrent TBI, and substance use, compared to the general population. Further, there are a group of individuals who have experienced both TBI and substance abuse, with associated impairments in verbal memory and learning, abstract thinking, and who report problems with general memory and socialization. These difficulties may affect functioning both in prison and following release.
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