Relationship between self-perceived driving ability and neuropsychological performance in neurological and psychiatric patients

Background Neurological and psychiatric patients want to keep driving but several sensory, motor, and cognitive deficits could limit this purpose. However, some drivers “self-regulate” driving behavior to minimize the risk of accidents. A good predictor of this behavior seems to be the self-perceived driving ability. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the neuropsychological profile of neurological and psychiatric active drivers correlates to self-reported and caregiver-referred driving behavior. Methods Sixty-three active drivers diagnosed with a neurological or psychiatric condition were enrolled and underwent cognitive assessment plus two behavioral questionnaires (Driver Behavior Questionnaire — DBQ and Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-version 11). DBQ and IADL (Instrumental Activities of Daily Living) were also administered to thirty-nine caregivers, to assess autonomy in daily life and the frequency of errors and violations committed by drivers. Spearman’s Rho non-parametric analysis was used to investigate the relationship between performances at neuropsychological tests and DBQ responses. Cohen’s weighted kappa coefficient was also adopted to verify the strength of agreement between the two groups at the DBQ. Results Results suggested an overall agreement between self-reported and caregiver-referred driving behavior; moreover, a relationship between self-referred driving behavior and impulsiveness was found. However, neuropsychological performances were not related to self-perceived driving ability. Conclusions These results provide new insight regarding the risk of incurring road accidents and can be useful to promote a more appropriate evaluation of risk accidents in neurological and psychiatric patients.