The association between neuropsychological performance and self-reported traumatic brain injury in a sample of adult male prisoners in the UK

Abstract

This study employed a correlational and group comparison design to investigate whether self-report of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in a sample of male prisoners screened using the Brain Injury Screening Index (BISI) was associated with impaired cognitive performance on standardised questionnaires and neuropsychological tests. A total of 139 male prisoners who reported having suffered a TBI in the BISI were interviewed, and completed further questionnaires and neuropsychological assessments. Their results were compared to 50 prisoners who had no reported history of TBI. The results of the screening questionnaire correlated with responses in a follow-up interview, with self-report questionnaires of neurobehavioural disorder (.31 to .50) and neuropsychological measures (−.24 to −.45). The “TBI Index”, an indicator summarising the number and severity of self-reported injuries in a single score, also correlated well with scores on formal neuropsychological tests (–.20 to –.42). Self-report of traumatic brain injury among prisoners is consistently associated with measurable neuropsychological and neurobehavioural disability. The implications of these findings for current practice in identifying and referring individuals to specialist services are considered.