Premium
Comprehensive Driving Assessment: Neuropsychological Testing and On‐road Evaluation of Brain Injured Patients
Author(s) -
Schanke AnneKristine,
Sundet Kjetil
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.743
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1467-9450
pISSN - 0036-5564
DOI - 10.1111/1467-9450.00179
Subject(s) - neuropsychology , neuropsychological assessment , psychology , neuropsychological test , traumatic brain injury , neuropsychological testing , brain damage , audiology , cognition , poison control , test (biology) , psychiatry , clinical psychology , physical medicine and rehabilitation , medicine , medical emergency , paleontology , biology
The study investigates the correspondence between neuropsychological test results and on‐road driving performance among 55 patients with a CT‐verified brain damage or documented neurological disorder (cerebrovascular accident: 43, traumatic brain injury: 5, multiple sclerosis: 4, other: 3). 5 patients showed unimpaired test profiles and passed the on‐road evaluation. 18 patients showed severe neuropsychological deficits contrary to driving and were not recommended for on‐road evaluation. Of the remaining 32 patients with some neuropsychological deficits, all 100% in the minor impaired group ( n = 8) passed the driving evaluation, compared to 69% in the mildly impaired ( n = 16) and 38% in the moderately impaired group ( n = 8). Measures of reduced visuoconstructive ability, reaction time, visual attention, and awareness of cognitive impairments, were found to discriminate between groups. It is concluded that neuropsychological assessment of targeted functions provide an ecological valid prediction of driving skill after brain damage, but that on‐road evaluation is needed as supplement in cases with ambiguous test findings.