Biomedical subjects

Richard O Temple

Publications and source records attributed to Richard O Temple.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

A national survey of physicians' use of and satisfaction with neuropsychological services.

Physicians are a major referral source for neuropsychologists, but little is known about the aspects of neuropsychological evaluation that physicians do and do not find useful. In this study, 5000 members of the American Medical Association were surveyed about their use of, and satisfaction with, neuropsychological evaluation, and reasons for not referring patients for evaluation. A total of 517 usable surveys (10.8% response rate) were returned. Results indicated that respondents referred patients most often for diagnostic purposes, and they were generally satisfied with neuropsychological services. Lack of familiarity with neuropsychology and geographic proximity to a neuropsychologist were cited as the main barriers to referral. Primary care physicians were most likely to have never referred a patient for evaluation. The results are discussed in terms of the need for future educational efforts to increase physicians' awareness of the field of neuropsychology and provide physicians with access to clinical neuropsychologists.

Academies and Institutes↗

PubMed2006

Investigation of biases in the general public in evaluating mild head injury using neuropsychological and CT scan results: forensic implications.

The purpose of this study was to determine how the general public considers neuropsychological (NP) vs. CT scan data in assessing the effects of a possible mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI). Ten scenarios depicting an MTBI from a motor vehicle accident were presented to community volunteer participants. Case scenarios differed with regard to diagnostic information presented (i.e., all combinations of normal, abnormal, or absent NP and CT results were provided). The number of participants ranged from 31 to 42 across the 10 cases and there were no age or educational differences among the groups. Participants rated the likelihood of symptoms being attributable to brain damage from the accident on a 7-point Likert-type scale. Scenarios with positive NP or CT results were rated as more likely to have sustained brain damage than when NP/CT results were negative. However, when NP and CT data were contradictory (i.e., one positive and the other negative), there were no differences in the ratings of the participants. Thus, members of the general public did not demonstrate any preconceived bias about the validity of NP vs. CT results in MTBI. Women were more likely than men to attribute symptoms to brain damage from the motor vehicle accident, as did participants with a history of TBI. Forensic implications are discussed.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Differential impact of executive function on visual memory tasks.

Despite their common use in neuropsychological evaluation, little is known about the differential contribution of executive functioning to visual memory tests. In this study, hierarchical regression was used to determine the role of executive functioning on the Visual Reproduction subtest of the Wechsler Memory Scale--Third Edition, and the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure (ROCF) in a mixed neurological sample of 193 patients. Executive functioning was predictive of Visual Reproduction but not ROCF recall variables after accounting for demographic variables and global cognitive functioning. Only executive tests with a visuospatial component, the Trail-Making Test Part B and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test perseverative responses, were predictive of recall of Visual Reproduction stimuli. Organization of the ROCF was predictive of both Visual Reproduction and ROCF recall. These findings increase our understanding of the executive contribution to two common visual memory tests and may aid in the clinical interpretation of seemingly discrepant visual memory performance.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Personality characteristics of patients showing suboptimal cognitive effort.

This study examined the relationship between performance on the Portland Digit Recognition Test (PDRT) and the MMPI-2 in a group of veterans who were suspected of having motivation to exaggerate cognitive and/or psychiatric symptoms. Number correct on "easy" trials on the PDRT correlated inversely with MMPI-2 measures of psychopathology, whereas number correct on "hard" trials positively correlated with the same scales. Some individuals performed poorly across both types of PDRT trials and had significant MMPI-2 elevations, whereas others performed poorly only on "hard" PDRT trials and had less extreme MMPI-2 elevations. This study reinforces the need to assess the validity of both cognitive and psychiatric symptom complaints.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Utility of the neuropsychological evaluation in an acute medical hospital.

Although recent studies have demonstrated the importance of cognitive assessment in medical settings in general, there have been no specific studies addressing the utility of the neuropsychological evaluation in the acute inpatient hospital setting. The current study examined the use of inpatient neuropsychological evaluation by treating physicians in an acute medical hospital for patient care and discharge disposition. Participants were 100 inpatients within an urban medical center who received a neuropsychological evaluation. Results showed 78% of hospital discharge summaries included information regarding the neuropsychological evaluation, 48% referenced specific results, and 68% reported specific recommendations. Further, actual placement outcomes were consistent with the neuropsychological evaluation placement recommendations 80% of the time. The current study supports the utility of neuropsychological evaluations on overall inpatient care, and discusses ways in which the results may be used to communicate the value of neuropsychological services to medical treatment and discharge planning teams, third party payors, and medical center administrators.

Female↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Assessment of mood state in dementia by use of the visual analog mood scales (VAMS).

OBJECTIVE: The assessment of mood states in individuals with dementia is a challenging yet clinically useful task. The purpose of the present study was to examine the validity of the Visual Analog Mood Scales (VAMS) in individuals with dementia. METHODS: Thirty-one patients who met diagnostic criteria for dementia completed the VAMS and a modified Profile of Mood States. RESULTS: Authors found good convergent validity between all monotrait-heteromethod mood states. Excellent discriminant validity was found for VAMS Happy, Confused, Angry, and Energetic scales. CONCLUSION: These results provide evidence for the validity of the VAMS in patients with dementia.

Aged↗