Thesis (Ph. D.)--Drexel University, 2006. / Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 82-87).

Thesis (Ph.D.) - University of Queensland, 2006. / Includes bibliography.

Thesis (M.Pub.Health) - University of Queensland, 2006. / Includes bibliography.

Thesis (M.A.)--York University, 2005. Graduate Programme in Psychology. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 65-69). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url%5Fver=Z39.88-2004&res%5Fdat=xri:pqdiss &rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:MR11870

Thesis (B.A. (Hons.)) - University of Queensland, 2006. / Includes bibliography.

This study examines the validity of using a combination of two psychometric measures, an emotional adjustment measure, and functional assessment measures to predict vocational outcome in a traumatically brain injured population. Patients included 33 males and 11 females, with an average age of 32.3 years, and a stable work history over the past three years prior to injury. All had sustained a traumatic brain injury in the 12 months prior to initial testing, with a mean of 3.8 months since injury. Levels of severity of injury included 24 patients with severe injury, 12 patients with moderate injury, and 8 patients with mild injury. Patients completed the Logical Memory subtest (LM) of the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised, Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Personal Capacities Questionnaire (PCQ). A clinician working closely with the patient also completed the Functional Assessment Inventory (FAI) and the Behavior Checklist (BC) at the time of initial testing. Follow-up testing on available patients (n=16) was completed approximately six months after initial testing. Comparison of the functional assessment measures demonstrated that patients exhibited a decreased awareness of functional limitations relative to clinician's ratings, but identified an increased number of personal strengths. The present study demonstrates the first comparison of FAI and PCQ ratings in a TBI population, as well as the first available field research using the PCQ. Results also indicated that the only significant predictor on earned income after six months was the overall functional limitations score on the PCQ. The only significant difference in patients' test performance at six months with scores at initial testing was seen on the PASAT, which suggested that patients had a significant improvement in their speed of information processing after six months. In addition, comparison of patients from Canadian and American rehabilitation agencies, respectively, revealed no significant differences between patients at either initial testing or at follow-up. / Graduate

Neuropsychologists are asked to provide information regarding a person's ability to work following a traumatic brain injury (TBI). The tests used by Neuropsychologists were not constructed to identify specific abilities required for successful job performance. The lack of criterion-related validity information makes it difficult to relate data obtained from neurospychological tests to specific occupations (Clemmons, 1985; Heaton & Chelune, 1978; Prigatano et al. 1986). This presents serious limitations for vocational assessment and rehabilitation of persons with traumatic brain injuries. The General Aptitude Test Battery (GATB) is the vocational aptitude battery most widely used in vocational assessment. The GATB's relationship to work demands makes it the most practical assessment tool available for job screening and matching. Interpretive data for the GATB with persons with brain damage are scant (Clemmons, 1985; Cole, 1984). The person's ability to work following a traumatic brain injury results from the interaction between their abilities/disabilities and demands of occupations. Research in neuropsychology related to the vocational abilities of brain-injured individuals has centered on measuring the person's incapacity. This research investigates the GATB as an aptitude test battery for use with individuals with brain injuries and its usefulness for job matching with this population. The relationship between the person's measured aptitudes (GATB) and aptitude demands of occupations (PAQ) is examined. This is referred to as the person-job fit measure. The GATB was administered to sixty (60) individuals with TBI. The Position Analysis Questionnaire (PAQ) was used to analyze participants' occupations. It provides an estimate of the GATB aptitude scores of incumbents successfully performing the position analyzed, that is, the aptitude demands of the job. Two categories of occupations were analysed: "Can do": Occupations participants have the ability to perform, including positions currently held and jobs they have held since being injured and are no longer performing for reasons unrelated to the brain injury; and "Cannot do": occupations participants are unable to return to, or were unable to maintain for reasons related to the brain injury. Occupations were considered only if the person's ability or inability to do the job could be verified with the employer, co-worker(s), or the professionals who assessed her (his) vocational potential. The structure of the GATB was investigated first with a large sample of regular job applicants and the confirmed structure was verified with the study sample. The GATB performance of this group of persons with TBI was examined. Lastly, the ability of the measure of person-job fit to correctly classify participants by job category was analyzed. The results confirmed that the eight GATB aptitudes can be regrouped into three composites. Although this is useful for some applications, for the clinical intervention in a vocational rehabilitation process, the use of all eight GATB aptitudes is recommended. The GATB scores of participants in this study tended to be lower than the General Working Population on many of the GATB aptitudes. This reinforces the need for vocational rehabilitation intervention to help brain-injured persons enter or reenter the work force. Results indicated that the measure of person-job fit using the GATB in conjunction with the PAQ provided a good indicator of that person's ability or inability to do a specific job. The person-job fit measures obtained from the GATB cognitive and perceptual aptitude composites are the best predictors of ability to work with this sample. The usefulness of the GATB motor aptitude and composite is questionable. / Graduate

M.A. / With the advances achieved in medical technology in recent years, society is increasingly faced with the issue of determining how fit individuals are for reintegration in society following the event of traumatic brain injury. Together with Neurology and it's diagnostic capabilities, many other disciplines such as Neuropsychology, Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy, to name but a few, have placed strong emphasis on the rehabilitation of individuals with brain damage, with a view to reintegrate them into society. Besides the physical rehabilitation which aims at normalizing the individual's physical health, issues such as psychological ,cognitive and social functioning have been the focus of a great body of research in recent years. Whereas in the past the prognosis for many such patients in respect of returning to a normal life style were discouraging, health workers are now more optimistic in most cases regarding the individuals' probability to achieve a higher level of functioning after recovery. In this context, the individuals' ability to function in society, their ability to be integrated into the family and working environment and competence to be active and valued members of society have thus become the new aims which the therapeutic team together with the patient strive to achieve. With this in mind, rehabilitation teams now place greater emphasis and effort on optimizing recovery in the areas of cognitive and emotional competence. Amongst these issues, the individuals' competence to make moral judgements and socially adequate decisions in everyday living is of the utmost importance. This impacts on their ability to abide by social rules and norms which will determine their competence and desirability as active members in the family, social and working environments. This is the main focus of the present study. The issue of moral judgement and behaviour is central to this discussion, and a delineation of what defines morality and moral judgement is mandatory. Contributions to this analysis were found in the writings of the various authors and schools of thought presented here, and each of them has dealt with the theme of morality, moral behaviour and judgement from a different theoretical perspective. Theorists such as Lawrence Kohlberg made a major contribution to the understanding of the development of moral judgement through his stage theory, which forms one of the cornerstones of the present study. The site and the severity of the brain injury is paramount to the prognosis for rehabilitation. The frontal lobes have been described as the structures responsible for the widest range of symptoms and seen as the seat of intellect, responsible for deviations in moral and emotional functioning. An overview of the frontal lobes and associated cognitive functions as well as behaviors observed as a result of injury to these structures is presented. The existential-phenomenological system of inquiry has been described by its proponents as the most adequate to investigate phenomena relating to human behaviour, when an understanding of the subjective experience of the individuals involved is desired. For this reason this methodology is used in the present study to facilitate a qualitative analysis of the experience of brain injury particularly in respect of possible alterations in moral judgement and behaviour following the accident. The present investigation is based on interviews with three subjects and their primary caretakers, who answered questions regarding moral dilemmas. These dilemmas aim at tapping the individual's underlying reasoning processes when faced with the decision of what is right and wrong. The analysis and integration of the data obtained through these interviews reveals a complex cluster of alterations in thought and behaviour, much in line with those expected from patients suffering traumatic injury of the frontal lobes. Although different behaviours were revealed by each participant in this study, they were generally in line with the alterations described in the literature resulting from injury to the described brain areas. The value of this study lies in projecting a clearer picture of the experience of brain injury from the point of view of the victims as well as the close family members. Furthermore, analysis of data obtained in this investigation highlights certain typical behaviors and responses observed in individuals with such brain injuries, as described in the literature presented here.

It is a frequent occurrence in accident cases involving alleged brain injury and attendant damage suits, for the defendant's attorney to charge the plaintiff in the case with malingering. At some time in the court proceedings it i.s also common that the plaintiff's psychologist will testify to the court that his client's brain damage is genuine, not feigned. but heretofore, clinicians have been able to speak to the court only from their own background of clinical experience, and clinicians have been known to disagree. They have not been able to refer to a body of research that has addressed itself to the question, Can Ss simulate brain damage on the Bender-Gestalt Test? This issue is particularly significant since many clinicians use the Bender to assess cases in which brain damage is suspected. Since the thrust of this study was exploratory, the answer to this experimental question is not totally conclusive. However, it was determined that college Ss of at least normal intelligence who did not present evidence of brain damage on an initial Bender screening could not simulate traumatic brain damage. Although there is little reason to believe that non-organic Ss from other kinds of educational backgrounds (excluding, possibly, Ss who are extremely knowledgeable about the Bender), ages and levels of intelligence could simulate traumatic brain damage successfully, this possibility exists and should be researched. The project consisted of a pilot study and a main study. In the pilot study 18 volunteers from an upper division psychology class were tested with a Bender in a group situation under standard instructions. Four weeks later they were . asked to simulate brain damage on the Bender. The test records of 18 organic Ss were used to form a criterion group. An ABPP certified clinical psychologist then attempted to sort the malingerers from the organics (Sort 1) and the normals from the organics (Sort 2). On the first sort, 2 of the 18 Ss in each group were missorted. On the second sort, 1 organic and 2 normals were missorted. The resulting Phi coefficients were .78 and .83, respectively. Since existing quantitative sorting methods (Le., the Pascal-Suttell system and the Canter system) were not able to validly differentiate malingerers from organics, it became necessary to spell out the implicit criteria which the clinician used as he performed his sorts. An analysis of the criteria then revealed that all of the missorts, except 1 organic S, involved confusions of "normal" Ss who were either borderline organics or mildly organic with organic S5 who were mildly organic. The main study was necessary to replicate the findings obtained from the pilot study since the criteria devised therefrom were formulated 'ex post facto.' The results obtained were generally comparable to those from the pilot study. In the main study, a second clinician independently sorted the groups in order to provide a reliability check on the sorting procedure. An analysis of the sorting decisions resulting from the criteria-based sorting procedure indicated that the sorting decisions of the 2 clinicians concurred on 84% of the protocols in the malingerer-organic sort and on 94% of the records in the normal-organic sort. A sort-resort operation by the first clinician on the malingerer-organic sort with one day intervening resulted in 100% agreement between his judgments.

No description available.