TITLE:
Cognitive Impairment and Dangerous Driving: A Decision Making Model for the Psychologist to Balance Confidentiality with Safety
AUTHORS:
Christopher M. Love, Jennifer Costillo, Robert K. Welsh, Sheryn Scott, David Brokaw
KEYWORDS:
Cognitive Disorders, Policy, Ethics, Law, Driving
JOURNAL NAME:
Psychology,
Vol.2 No.3,
June
29,
2011
ABSTRACT: The Transitional Opportunity Partnership (TOP) is a framework for psychological care of cognitively impaired individuals. In this paper we address the issues associated with cognitively impaired drivers and how the TOP model can assist psychologists in managing the ethical, legal, and moral dilemmas that often occur with this challenging population. This paper offers suggestions for how to therapeutically manage the privilege of driving with cognitively impaired individuals, through client education, increasing awareness of client resistance or in-capacity to recognize impairment, and proactive intervention.