Anxiety prevalence following traumatic brain injury and detecting feigned impairment with the Denver Attention test

Johnson, Emma ORCID: 0000-0001-6675-935X (2024). Anxiety prevalence following traumatic brain injury and detecting feigned impairment with the Denver Attention test. University of Birmingham. Clin.Psy.D.

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Abstract

This thesis consists of four chapters. Chapter one is a meta-analytic review examining the prevalence data for generated anxiety disorder (GAD) and clinically significant cases of anxiety in adults with non-penetrating traumatic brain injury (TBI). The review is an update of a previous meta-analysis published in 2014 and explores the past decade of research in this area. Data from 33 studies and a combined sample of 12,063 participants are reported. The impact of time since injury, assessment method, injury severity, and psychiatric history are each examined. Findings reveal that following TBI, GAD and clinically significant anxiety are almost four and six times respectively, more prevalent than in the general population. These findings underscore the importance of assessing mental health needs following TBI.
Chapter two is an empirical study which explores the utility of a newly developed performance validity measure (PVT) called the Denver attention Test (DAT). A simulator study design is used to examine the DATs ability to discriminate between a group of participants who are instructed to do their best and another who are instructed to feign cognitive impairment. Results find that the DAT is a rapid, easy to administer PVT that provides a robust measure of performance validity. It demonstrates excellent ability to detect feigned cognitive impairment in a simulator sample, though further investigation is needed with clinical groups.
Chapters three and four are press releases for the meta-analytic review and empirical study. This research hopes to bring new insights to the field of neuropsychology.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Doctorates > Clin.Psy.D.)

Award Type:

Doctorates > Clin.Psy.D.

Supervisor(s):