Pathopsychological predictors of contraindications to driving for persons with mental disorders

Abstract

The present article contains the research data of pathopsychological predictors of contraindications to driving for persons with mental disorders. The data of 60 outpatient charts of patients-drivers and driver candidates who underwent a psychiatric examination in order to reveal the presence or absence of contraindications to driving was analyzed and resulted in a psychiatric diagnosis setting for the first time. The analysis was conducted with considering the following parameters: the commission decision on the presence or absence of contraindications to driving; age; mental illness diagnosis; results of pathopsychological research and data on driving experience. It was revealed that the 'criticality violation' parameter was the universal pathopsychological predictor of contraindications amongst the drivers and driver candidates surveyed. At the same time, nosospecific abnormalities of mental processes have been identified that in overall affect on the making of a medical decision on the presence of contraindications to driving. Attention disorders (its instability) were significantly more frequent, whilst the patients with organic mental disorder also had criticality violations, and the patients with personality disorder were characterized by instability of emotional reactions. Additional record of pathopsychological features can significantly improve the accuracy of the ability to safe driving assessment for drivers and driver candidates, and more effectively predict the risk of an accident.

Keywords

• accident rate
• dangerous driving
• cognitive functioning