The Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) - Service correctionnel du Canada

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Discussion Based on results of the Global Severity Index (GSI) of the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), the initial pilot of the Computerised Mental Health Inventory Screening System (CoMHISS) demonstrated that over one-third (38.4%) of incoming federally sentenced male offenders report experiencing significant psychological distress. A less conservative cut-off would increase the rate to over 50%. Although the pilot sample demonstrated that 44% of Aboriginal men reported high levels of distress relative to 37.6% of non-Aboriginal men, this was not a significant difference. This significant rate of symptomology among male offenders as measured by the BSI component of the CoMHISS was corroborated by the results of the Depression Hopelessness Suicide (DHS) measure. The GSI and DHS were generally in agreement regarding offenders identified as distressed. However, 3% of respondents scored at or above the cut off on the DHS Depression scale but scored lower on the GSI. If respondents scoring at or above the cut off on either measure were identified for further assessment, a total of 40.6% of the incoming population of male offenders in the present sample would have been identified as needing further follow up and, potentially, further services. The rate of offenders scoring at or above the chosen cut off score on the screening measures varies across regional reception centres but all reception centres have at least 20% or more of offenders scoring above this cut-off on the GSI (See Appendices A through I). These high rates are not outside the range reported by the developer of the BSI on various sub-clinical samples (Derogatis, 1993). It should be noted that the CoMHISS is administered within 90 days of offenders being admitted to a federal penitentiary, a time that is likely to be highly stressful. A preliminary analysis of the relationship of the results of CoMHISS and time in reception prior to test administration, however, did not show that the scores for those who took the assessment earlier during the reception period were appreciably higher than those of offenders completing the assessment later. It is possible that administrations conducted later in the sentence after offenders have moved from the reception centres and been placed in the general institutions might reveal lower rates of distress. Given that a primary goal of the administration of CoMHISS is to identify offenders who may need 36
intervention immediately on entry into the federal system, a later administration of the screening would not fulfil this requirement. It is important to note that estimates of psychological distress in the CSC population based on incoming offenders on new sentences at reception centres may actually underestimate rates of distress among all incarcerated offenders. Descriptive statistics were presented demonstrating that offenders in custody have higher need levels and more indications of mental health problems based on OIA data than offenders coming into CSC on a new sentence. Almost 5,000 federally sentenced offenders are admitted to CSC on new sentences a year. Because some reception centres initiated the assessment procedures after the pilot began, during the one year period of the pilot of the CoMHISS, only about 1,300 offenders were assessed. A comparison of the CoMHISS respondents with those who did not take the assessment revealed no pattern of differences between the two groups confirming that CoMHISS respondents were representative of the total population of offenders who came into CSC in that one year period. It was not possible to assess the completion rate for the measures. However, for those known to have refused the assessment or those who completed invalid responses, there was no relationship of refusal to education level, mental health status based on OIA indicators or to Aboriginal status. Higher rates of invalid forms in two institutions point to the importance of staff using a standard test administration protocol that encourages participation and monitors test taking behaviour. Supplementary analyses suggest that there are high rates of co-occurring disorders within the incoming federal male population. Most offenders scoring at or above the cut-off scores on either the Depression scale on the DHS or the GSI scale on the BSI also had significant problems with substance abuse. Their rates of substance abuse are significantly higher than those of offenders who scored below the cut-off. Further research is required to determine the extent to which substance abuse problems complicate intervention planning for those with mental health concerns. The mental health strategy in CSC requires that offenders reporting significantly high rates of distress based on the results of the CoMHISS be evaluated by a mental health professional in the reception centres to determine if further intervention is required. There is 37
Page 1: _________ Research Report__________
Page 5: Acknowledgements The authors would
Page 9: Table of Contents Acknowledgements
Page 13: List of Figures Figure 1. Frequency
Page 17 and 18: Introduction Mental health problems
Page 19 and 20: This research report provides the r
Page 21 and 22: (Kroner & Weekes, 1996). In additio
Page 23 and 24: Obsession-Compulsion (thoughts and
Page 25 and 26: The BSI manual provides norms based
Page 27 and 28: Procedure For the pilot, the CoMHIS
Page 29 and 30: Table 1 Demographic Profile of CoMH
Page 31 and 32: Table 2 Risk-Need Profile of CoMHIS
Page 33 and 34: Table 3 Alcohol and Drug Use Among
Page 35 and 36: These tables apply the non patient
Page 37 and 38: Table 6 BSI Results by Aboriginal S
Page 39 and 40: Table 8 BSI Results by Aboriginal S
Page 41 and 42: eception. Similar to the BSI, a T-s
Page 43 and 44: Table 11 DHS Results by Aboriginal
Page 45 and 46: Table 14 Results of CoMHISS by Rece
Page 47 and 48: However, 3.0% (27) of the offenders
Page 49 and 50: whether they have a current mental
Page 51: determine the rate of co-occurring
Page 55 and 56: References Aroian, K.J., Patsdaught
Page 57 and 58: Skinner, H. A. & Horn, J.L., (1984)
Page 59 and 60: Sub Scale N Mean T-score ≥ 60 % (
Page 77 and 78: Appendix K: CSC Norms for Male Offe
Page 79: Screen Reader Descriptions for Grap

The Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) - Service correctionnel du Canada

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