Home About us Contact
|
Home About us Contact | ||
|
|
||
Structured Assessments (structured + assessment)
Selected AbstractsThe significance of protective factors in the assessment of riskCRIMINAL BEHAVIOUR AND MENTAL HEALTH, Issue 1 2010Charlotte E. Rennie Background,Few studies have explored protective factors in the assessment of risk, despite acknowledgement that protective factors may play an important role. Aim,To examine the significance of protective factors in assessment of risk using the Structured Assessment of Violence Risk in Youth (SAVRY). Method,The SAVRY was completed on 135 male adolescents in custody in the UK. Data on previous offending and childhood psychopathology were collected. Participants were prospectively followed up at 12 months using data from the Home Office Police National Computer (HOPNC). Results,Participants with protective factors were older when first arrested, were less prolific offenders and had fewer psychopathological problems. The number of protective factors present was significantly higher for participants who did not re-offend during the follow-up. The total number of SAVRY protective factors significantly predicted desistance at follow-up and resilient personality traits constituted the only significant individual protective factor. Conclusions and implications,Protective factors might buffer the effects of risk factors and a resilient personality may be crucial. Recognition of protective factors should be an essential part of the risk management process and for interventions with high-risk adolescents to reduce re-offending. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Structured assessment of current mental state in clinical practice: an international study of the reliability and validity of the Current Psychiatric State interview, CPS-50ACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 1 2005I. R. H. Falloon Objective:, To develop a reliable standardized assessment of psychiatric symptoms for use in clinical practice. Method:, A 50-item interview, the Current Psychiatric State 50 (CPS-50), was used to assess 237 patients with a range of psychiatric diagnoses. Ratings were made by interviewers after a 2-day training. Comparisons of inter-rater reliability on each item and on eight clinical subscales were made across four international centres and between psychiatrists and non-psychiatrists. A principal components analysis was used to validate these clinical scales. Results:, Acceptable inter-rater reliability (intra-class coefficient > 0.80) was found for 46 of the 50 items, and for all eight subscales. There was no difference between centres or between psychiatrists and non-psychiatrists. The principal components analysis factors were similar to the clinical scales. Conclusion:, The CPS-50 is a reliable standardized assessment of current mental status that can be used in clinical practice by all mental health professionals after brief training. [source] Structured assessment using multiple patient scenarios by videoconference in rural settingsMEDICAL EDUCATION, Issue 5 2008Tim J Wilkinson Context, The assessment blueprint of the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine postgraduate curriculum highlighted a need to assess clinical reasoning. We describe the development, reliability, feasibility, validity and educational impact of an 8-station assessment tool, StAMPS (structured assessment using multiple patient scenarios), conducted by videoconference. Methods, StAMPS asks each candidate to be examined at each of 8 stations on issues relating to patient diagnosis or management. Each candidate remains located in a rural site but is examined in turn by 8 examiners who are located at a central site. Examiners were rotated through the candidates by either walking between videoconference rooms or by connecting and disconnecting the links. Reliability was evaluated using generalisability theory. Validity and educational impact were evaluated with qualitative interviews. Results, Fourteen candidates were assessed on 82 scenarios with a reliability of G = 0.76. There was a reasonable correlation with level of candidate expertise (, = 0.57). The videoconference links were acceptable to candidates and examiners but the walking rotation system was more reliable. Qualitative comments confirmed relevance and acceptability of the assessment tool and suggest it is likely to have a desirable educational impact. Conclusions, StAMPS not only reflects the content of rural and remote practice but also reflects the process of that work in that it is delivered from a distance and assesses resourcefulness and flexibility in thinking. The reliability and feasibility of this type of assessment has implications for people running any distance-based course, but the assessment could also be used in a face-to-face setting. [source] Early childhood predictors of mothers' and fathers' relationships with adolescents with developmental disabilitiesJOURNAL OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY RESEARCH, Issue 6 2010D. B. Mitchell Abstract Background The importance of positive parent,adolescent relationships is stressed in research on adolescents, although very little is known about this relationship when a teen has developmental disabilities (DD). We investigated the relationships of adolescents with disabilities with their mothers and their fathers in order to answer a number of questions regarding these relationships. In particular, we asked: are there differences in the relationships of mothers and fathers with their adolescent with DD? Are there early childhood predictors of the parent,teen relationship and are those based on variables that are amenable to intervention? Finally, do these predictors differ for mothers and fathers? Methods This study focused on the relationships of 72 mothers and 53 fathers with their 15-year-old teens with DD and their predictors from the early childhood years. Data were collected from parents through interviews and self-administered questionnaires, and from their children with disabilities through structured assessment when children were age 3 years and again at age 15 years. Results Analyses indicated that both mother,teen and father,teen relationships were predicted by earlier parenting stress. The father,teen relationship was also predicted by early behaviour problems, but this relation was mediated by parenting stress. Socio-economic status, type of disability and the child's level of functioning were not predictive of later relationships between parents and teens. Mothers and fathers did not differ significantly in their reports of perceived positive relationships with their teens. Conclusions The findings from this study suggest two important points of potential intervention during the early intervention years. First, parenting assistance and support to reduce stress during the early childhood years can benefit both mothers and fathers. Second, helping families and children cope with and diminish problem behaviours is likely to yield multiple advantages for parents and children and deserves emphasis in early intervention and pre-school programmes. [source] Structured assessment using multiple patient scenarios by videoconference in rural settingsMEDICAL EDUCATION, Issue 5 2008Tim J Wilkinson Context, The assessment blueprint of the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine postgraduate curriculum highlighted a need to assess clinical reasoning. We describe the development, reliability, feasibility, validity and educational impact of an 8-station assessment tool, StAMPS (structured assessment using multiple patient scenarios), conducted by videoconference. Methods, StAMPS asks each candidate to be examined at each of 8 stations on issues relating to patient diagnosis or management. Each candidate remains located in a rural site but is examined in turn by 8 examiners who are located at a central site. Examiners were rotated through the candidates by either walking between videoconference rooms or by connecting and disconnecting the links. Reliability was evaluated using generalisability theory. Validity and educational impact were evaluated with qualitative interviews. Results, Fourteen candidates were assessed on 82 scenarios with a reliability of G = 0.76. There was a reasonable correlation with level of candidate expertise (, = 0.57). The videoconference links were acceptable to candidates and examiners but the walking rotation system was more reliable. Qualitative comments confirmed relevance and acceptability of the assessment tool and suggest it is likely to have a desirable educational impact. Conclusions, StAMPS not only reflects the content of rural and remote practice but also reflects the process of that work in that it is delivered from a distance and assesses resourcefulness and flexibility in thinking. The reliability and feasibility of this type of assessment has implications for people running any distance-based course, but the assessment could also be used in a face-to-face setting. [source] One-year outcome of an early intervention in psychosis service: a naturalistic evaluationEARLY INTERVENTION IN PSYCHIATRY, Issue 3 2007Swaran P. Singh Abstract Aim: We conducted a 1-year prospective evaluation of an early intervention in psychosis service (Early Treatment and Home-based Outreach Service (ETHOS)) during its first 3 years of operation in South-west London, UK. Methods: All patients referred to ETHOS underwent structured assessments at baseline and at 1-year follow-up. In addition, hospitalization rates of ETHOS patients (intervention group) were compared with a non-randomized parallel cohort (comparison group) of first-episode patients treated by community mental health teams. Results: The Early Treatment and Home-based Outreach Servicepatients experienced significant improvements in symptomatic and functional outcomes, especially vocational recovery. The service received only a quarter of eligible patients from referring teams. ETHOS patients did not differ from the comparison group in number of admissions, inpatient days or detention rates. Although number of referrals increased over time, there was no evidence that patients were being referred earlier. Conclusions: There is now robust evidence for the effectiveness of specialist early intervention services. However, such services must be adequate resourced, including an early detection team and provision of their own inpatient unit. [source] Assessing competency in Dentoalveolar surgery: a 3-year study of cumulative experience in the undergraduate curriculumEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF DENTAL EDUCATION, Issue 4 2007J. A. Durham Aim:, To assess and observe the development of competence in oral surgical skills during a 3-year undergraduate programme. Method:, Over a 3-year period 75 students were followed through from the beginning of their clinical course to their Bachelor of Dental Surgery graduation and their surgical experience monitored by the use of logbooks. Their development of competence was assessed objectively through structured assessments and subjectively by a single tutor responsible for each year. Assessments were made of their ability in exodontia, pre-surgical assessment and the surgical extraction of teeth/roots. Results:, Seventy-three students completed the course (97%). Successful completion rates for the objective testing were 100% for both exodontia and pre-surgical assessment. The surgical assessment, (surgical extraction of a tooth or root) had a successful completion rate of only 23% and the caseload for students was low with a mean of four teeth removed surgically upon graduation. Relationships were examined between total numbers of teeth extracted, total number of minor oral surgical procedures completed and the successful completion of the surgical competence assessment, but no significant relationships were found. Conclusions:, This study demonstrates that it is possible to achieve objectively measurable levels of competence in undergraduates undertaking oral surgery procedures. It is however, a labour and time intensive process and appropriate clinical and teaching resources are required. National co-operation towards agreed standardised competencies should be encouraged to allow data to be pooled and more powerful analyses to occur. [source] Impact of Assessments of Validity Generalization and Situational Specificity on the Science and Practice of Personnel SelectionINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SELECTION AND ASSESSMENT, Issue 4 2000Kevin R. Murphy The application of meta-analysis, in particular validity generalization (VG) analysis, to the cumulative literature on the validity of selection tests has fundamentally changed the science and practice of personnel selection. VG analyses suggest that the validities of standardized tests and other structured assessments are both higher and more consistent across jobs and organizations than was previously believed. As a result, selection researchers and practitioners can draw on the research literature to make reasonably accurate forecasts about the validity and usefulness of different tests in particular applications. Distinctions between tests of validity generalization and tests of situational specificity are described, and difficulties in demonstrating that validity is constant across the different settings where tests are used are outlined. [source] | ||||||||||