M. Scott DeBerard

A brief metacognition questionnaire for the elderly: comparison with cognitive performance and informant ratings the Cache County Study.

To examine the utility of a brief, metacognition questionnaire by examining its association with objective cognitive testing and informant ratings. We hypothesized that the association between self‐ratings of change and both outcomes would be greater among individuals without dementia than among those with dementia.

Occupational and biopsychosocial risk factors for carpal tunnel syndrome.

Objective:To investigate a biopsychosocial model of risk for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). In addition, a host of exploratory psychosocial variables was investigated as potential risk factors for CTS. Methods:A case–control design was used comparing 87 CTS and 74 sex-matched general orthopedic patients from an outpatient orthopedic clinic. All participants underwent the same diagnostic protocol (ie, physical evaluation and electrodiagnostic testing) and completed a self-report questionnaire assessing a wide range of potential occupational, personological, and psychosocial risk factors. Results:Multiple logistic regression analyses revealed that occupational repetition, not engaging in vigorous exercise, physical activities with wrist strain, poorer physical health, and lower job satisfaction were significantly related to the presence of CTS. Obesity was borderline significantly related to the presence of CTS. Conclusions:The biopsychosocial model provides a useful heuristic for conceptualizing CTS risk among injured workers.

Predicting Back Pain Treatment Outcomes Among Workers’ Compensation Patients: Important Information for Clinical Neuropsychologists

Low back pain is an increasingly prevalent and costly issue in the United States. It is a particularly relevant problem for Workers’ Compensation patients, who typically experience worse surgical and functional outcomes than their non-compensated counterparts. Neuropsychologists often provide intervention and assessment services to compensated patients with back pain, and thus it is critical they possess a basic understanding of the factors that might predispose an injured worker to poor spine surgery outcomes. This paper will review the current literature regarding presurgical biopsychosocial factors which have been implicated in poor back surgery outcomes among injured workers. We provide some tentative guidelines for neuropsychologists to utilize in providing services to injured workers with back pain.

Lumbar Fusion in Utah Workers' Compensation Patients: Changing Outcomes Across a Decade.

Study Design. This study was a retrospective-cohort design involving a review of patient medical and cost records and a 2-year postsurgery follow-up outcome survey. Objective. To evaluate the functional and cost outcomes associated with recent lumbar fusion surgeries in Utah workers and compare these outcomes with a comparable prior study cohort. Summary of Background Data. Lumbar fusion performed on injured workers has dramatically increased over the past 2 decades and this likely coincided with the increased use of more advanced surgical instrumentation. Considering the recent changes in lumbar fusion surgery, there is a need to identify how patient outcomes have changed among injured workers. Materials and Methods. Retrospective chart review and 2-year postsurgery follow-up survey of patient outcomes were performed. Postsurgical outcomes for this sample were compared with established norms for back pain patients and a previous cohort of compensated lumbar fusion patients obtained from Workers’ Compensation Fund of Utah. Results. The current cohort evidenced a solid fusion rate of 89% and significant increase in the use of surgical instrumentation, particularly titanium fusion cages. Despite increased solid fusion rates, injured workers who have undergone lumbar fusion in Utah demonstrated equivalent and in some cases worse outcomes than those documented a decade ago. Specifically, there were significant increases in back pain dysfunction and narcotic medication usage in the current versus the past cohort. Medical and compensation costs for compensated lumbar fusion patients in Utah also significantly increased since the mid-1990s. Conclusion. Over the past decade, injured workers who have undergone lumbar fusion in Utah showed an increase in solid fusion rates and costs without a corresponding improvement in patient outcomes. Level of Evidence. 3

NSAID use does not affect dementia progression or survival in Alzheimer's disease. The Cache County Dementia Progression Study.

PROGRESSION OR SURVIVAL IN ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE. THE CACHE COUNTY DEMENTIA PROGRESSION STUDY. Trevor Buckley, Chris Corcoran, Sarah Schwartz, John Breitner, Peter Zandi, Maria Norton, M. Scott Deberard, Heidi Wengreen, Beth Foley, Kathleen Welsh-Bohmer, Constantine Lyketsos, JoAnn Tschanz, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, United States; McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; 3 Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States; Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States; Johns Hopkins Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States.

Outcomes and prognostic variables of radiofrequency zygapophyseal joint neurotomy in Utah workers’ compensation patients

Purpose The prevalence of radiofrequency zygapophyseal joint neurotomy (RFN) has increased substantially across the past decade. Limited research exists that has examined pre-procedure predictors of RFN outcomes, particularly within workers’ compensation populations. The purpose of this study was to determine if pre-procedure biopsychosocial variables are predictive of outcomes in a cohort of compensated Utah patients who have undergone RFN. Patients and methods This was a retrospective cohort study consisting of a review of pre-procedure medical records and a telephone outcome survey. The sample consisted of 101 compensated workers from Utah who had undergone RFN. Fifty-six patients (55%) responded to the outcome survey. Patients were an average of 46 months post-neurotomy at the time of follow-up. Outcome measures included patient satisfaction, disability status, Roland–Morris Disability Questionnaire, Stauffer–Coventry Index, and Short-Form Health Survey-36 (v.2). Statistical techniques utilized included frequencies, mean comparisons, and logistic and multiple regressions. Results Forty percent of patients were totally disabled at the time of follow-up. Lawyer involvement, older age, and a positive history of depression were predictors of poor outcomes in logistic and multiple regression equations. Conclusion Presurgical biopsychosocial variables were predictive of multidimensional patient outcomes, and a high rate of total disability was observed. Additional research on the effectiveness of RFN for workers’ compensation patients is recommended.

Therapist-Specific Factors and Psychotherapy Outcomes of Adult and Youth Clients Seen in a Psychology Training Clinic

The current study investigated therapist demographic and level of experience in relation to psychotherapy outcomes for adult and child clients. The OQ-45 and Y-OQ 2.01 were used to assess outcomes for 199 adults and 169 youth clients seen for psychotherapy by graduate-level student therapists. Analyses included calculation of Pearson correlation coefficients for each therapist-specific factors (e.g., therapist age, sex) and total score change amount on the OQ-45/Y-OQ 2.01 by treatment outcome subgroup (e.g., clinically significant change, reliable improvement, no change, or deterioration). For adults, a statistically significant relationship was found between improved outcomes and therapist having previously obtained clinical master’s degree (r = 0.276, p < .05) as well as female therapist gender (r = −0.295, p < .05). For youth, no statistically significant correlations were observed. Current findings are compared to nontraining settings and implications for student therapist training and training clinic policy are reviewed.