Prediction of occupational disability from psychological and neuropsychological evidence in forensic context

Izabela Z Schultz; Ada K Law; Leanna C Cruikshank

doi:10.1016/j.ijlp.2016.10.005

Prediction of occupational disability from psychological and neuropsychological evidence in forensic context

Int J Law Psychiatry. 2016 Nov-Dec;49(Pt B):183-196. doi: 10.1016/j.ijlp.2016.10.005. Epub 2016 Oct 31.

Authors

Izabela Z Schultz¹, Ada K Law², Leanna C Cruikshank³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada. Electronic address: ischultz@telus.net.
² Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada. Electronic address: ada.law@alumni.ubc.ca.
³ Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada. Electronic address: leannac@ualberta.ca.

PMID: 27810113
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijlp.2016.10.005

Abstract

Within the fields of psychiatry, psychology, and neuropsychology, medical examiners are often tasked with providing an opinion about an injured individual's health prognosis and likelihood of returning to work. Traditionally, examiners have conducted such assessments by employing clinical intuition, expert knowledge, and judgment. More recently, however, an accumulation of research on factors predictive of disability has allowed examiners to provide prognostications using specific empirically supported evidence. This paper integrates current evidence for four common clinical issues encountered in forensic assessments-musculoskeletal pain, depression, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, and traumatic brain injury. It discusses an evidence-informed, cross-diagnostic and multifactorial model of predicting disability that is emerging from the literature synthesis, along with recommendations for best forensic assessment practice.

Keywords: Depression; Forensic assessment; PTSD; Predictors of disability; Return to work; Traumatic brain injury.

MeSH terms

Brain Injuries, Traumatic / diagnosis
Depressive Disorder / diagnosis
Disability Evaluation*
Disabled Persons / legislation & jurisprudence
Disabled Persons / psychology
Forensic Psychiatry*
Humans
Mental Disorders / diagnosis*
Musculoskeletal Pain / diagnosis
Musculoskeletal System / injuries
Prognosis
Psychology
Return to Work / legislation & jurisprudence
Return to Work / psychology
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / diagnosis
Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders / diagnosis