Cronje H1, Nixon M1, Rossell S1
1Swinburne University Of Technology
Biography:
Han-Mari Cronje is currently completing her Doctorate in Clinical and Forensic Psychology at Swinburne University of Technology. Her research broadly focuses on better understanding and addressing the experience of cognitive impairments among forensic mental health inpatients. In particular, she has a keen interest in investigating whether a cognitive skills program, Thinking Minds, can improve FMH inpatients’ cognition, functioning and quality of life during their stay at a secure psychiatric hospital.
A large proportion of forensic mental health (FMH) inpatients experience cognitive impairment, which impacts their recovery (Huband et al., 2018; Murphy et al., 2021). Hence, it is important to effectively identify and manage cognitive impairments among this demographic. Research has advanced our understanding and approaches to cognitive impairment, yet little is known about whether such research is reflected in clinical practice. A recent file review at a secure psychiatric hospital in Melbourne examined how cognition is assessed among FMH inpatients, and if the nature of assessment is appropriate and used to assist mental health recovery. Results revealed that clinical practice recognises the importance of cognitive assessments. The majority of inpatients were assessed within the first year of their admission. The most used assessments were the Weschler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) and Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychiatric Status (RBANS), with a greater proportion of inpatients being classified as having impaired cognition if RBANS was administered. Early assessment of inpatients’ cognition is beneficial in allowing the service to make appropriate treatment plans. However, the regular use of the WAIS, a measure of cognitive functioning, raises concerns about whether some patients are inaccurately labeled as cognitively intact by the measure, hence may not receive appropriate care. These findings call for a reconsideration of how cognition is being assessed among FMH inpatients to ensure accurate profiling of cognitive impairments that can help FMH services make informed choices on how to best manage these difficulties.
References:
Huband et al. (2018). Characteristics and needs of long-stay forensic psychiatric inpatients: a rapid review of the literature. International Journal of Forensic Mental Health, 17(1), 45-60.
Murphy et al. (2021). Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale full-scale IQ of male admissions to a high secure psychiatric hospital over six decades. International Journal of Forensic Mental Health, 20(4), 386-397.