Is prisoners' knowledge about head injury improved following a brief psychoeducation programme?

• Main Author: Buchan, Louise Dianne
• Published: University of Glasgow 2018
• Subjects: BF Psychology
• Online Access: https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.761940

Introduction: Developing educational based interventions for head injury (HI) awareness within prison is a key area to support the growth of brain injury services for people at risk of HI. Prevalence rates of HI in the prison population are higher than the general population and associated with offending behaviour. Aims: To explore what prisoners know about symptoms and long-term effects of HI and develop a low-cost single-session psychoeducational group about HI which can be delivered to large numbers in prisons. Methods: A pre-post design recruiting male prisoners aged 18 and over serving a custodial sentence. The study had three stages; screening appointment (T1; N = 34), one-hour psychoeducation group about the symptoms and long-term effects of HI (T2; N = 19) and one-month follow-up appointment (T3; N = 11). HI knowledge was assessed by two open-ended measures (vignettes) and one close ended measure (HI symptom check list) at T1, T2 and T3. Two scores were calculated for participant knowledge as measured by their responses to vignettes; score 1 was number of symptoms or effects of HI which corresponded with the forced choice responses from the symptom checklist and score 2 was the number of symptoms or effects of HI which corresponded with the HI symptom checklist or symptoms or consequences of HI listed in SIGN 110 and 130. Rating scales were used to assess aggression and impulsivity at T1 and T3. Within-subject comparisons were made across study stages to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention. Results: Participant HI knowledge significantly increased from T1 to T2 (Score 1; d = 0.91, 95% CI [0.36, 1.46], and Score 2; d = 0.99, 95% CI [0.38, 1.60]) and was sustained at T3 (Score 1; d = 1.27, 95% CI [0.44, 2.11], and Score 2; r = 0.60). There were no improvements in ratings of aggression and impulsivity (T1 to T3). A between-group comparison of severity of HI and HI knowledge indicated knowledge was moderately greater for those with mild than moderate-severe HI. Conclusions: The psychoeducational group increased prisoners’ knowledge of HI and is an initial step towards the development an intervention suitable for delivery in Scottish prisons by NHS staff.