Evidence based practice: A guide for counsellors and psychotherapists

There has been an increasing tendency for healthcare policy makers and managers to require that all forms of therapy are supported by rigorous research evidence. This paper, which has also been distributed as an Information Sheet to all members of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), provides a practitioner‐oriented introduction to evidence‐based practice, with suggestions for further reading on this topic.     

On beyond urine: clinically useful assessment instruments in the treatment of drug dependence

Although there are a wealth of clinically useful, brief, and low-cost assessment instruments available for use with drug-dependent populations, relatively few are broadly used in clinical practice. With an emphasis on: (1). the multidimensional nature of drug users' problems; and (2). assessments that can be integrated into empirically validated treatments, clinically useful assessments in four general categories (evaluation and diagnosis of drug dependence, identifying concurrent disorders and problems, treatment planning, and evaluation of treatment outcome) are briefly summarized. Progress in the field of drug abuse treatment has been significantly hampered by the failure to adopt, across research and clinical settings, a common set of assessments.     

Utilizing driving simulators for persons with multiple sclerosis: A scoping review

ObjectiveThis scoping review synopsized and mapped the evidence on the utility of driving simulators for drivers with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) including participant characteristics (e.g., demographic, clinical) suited to simulator use; and driving scenario environments, maneuvers, and outcomes reflective of driving performance.Data SourcesThe research team searched six databases for English studies on driving simulator performance in drivers with MS.Study SelectionFour reviewers independently screened 976 unique titles, 148 abstracts, and 18 full-text sources for study inclusion or exclusion. Inclusion criteria ensured that studies utilized measures of driving simulator performance in adults 18 years or older with MS.Data ExtractionReviewers independently charted, verified, and achieved consensus on 100% of the data in the extraction table.Data SynthesisThe scoping review included thirteen studies (twelve assessment, one intervention), published between 2001 and 2021. Studies included small samples (N = 11–50) of adults (M age = 36–50 years; 40–91% female), mostly with a relapsing-remitting (53–100%) diagnosis and low to moderate physical disability (Expanded Disability Status Scale score < 6.0). The assessment studies utilized driving scenarios to assess pre-driving (n = 1) or driving abilities (n = 2), responses to hazardous events in suburban (n = 1) or urban environments (n = 4), or the ability to maintain speed or lateral lane positioning during monotonous highway drives (n = 7), with four scenarios also including responses to secondary divided attention tasks. The intervention study utilized driving simulation as a training program to improve driving-related skills.ConclusionsThe evidence on the utility of driving simulators for adults with MS is limited to assessment of driving performance, mostly during monotonous highway drives. Further research should consider exploring how driving simulators can be utilized to assess driving performance in other environments or for intervention. Gender should be examined to support gender diverse populations.