CANFOR Portuguese version: validation study.

Area of Science:

• Forensic Psychiatry
• Psychometrics
• Mental Health Services Research

Background:

• Rising prisoner populations correlate with increased mental illness and suicide rates.
• Effective strategies for criminal recidivism and prisoner well-being require comprehensive, individualized care need assessments.
• The Camberwell Assessment of Need - Forensic Version (CANFOR) is a validated tool for assessing forensic patient needs, including comorbidities like personality disorders and substance misuse.

Purpose of the Study:

• To validate the Portuguese version of the Camberwell Assessment of Need - Forensic Version (CANFOR).
• To assess the psychometric properties of the CANFOR for use in Portuguese forensic psychiatric services.

Main Methods:

• The CANFOR underwent translation, cultural adaptation, and back-translation for the Portuguese context.
• 143 detainees receiving psychiatric care in four Lisbon-area forensic facilities were assessed by their case managers.
• Inter-rater and test-retest reliability were evaluated using Kappa coefficients; convergent validity was assessed using the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) and Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS).

Main Results:

• The study sample predominantly consisted of males accused of violent crimes, with major depression being the most frequent diagnosis and nearly half exhibiting suicide risk.
• Reliability analyses yielded average Kappa weighted coefficients of 0.884 for inter-rater agreement and 0.445 for test-retest agreement.
• Convergent validity was supported by significant correlations between unmet needs scores and GAF/BPRS scores.

Conclusions:

• The CANFOR Portuguese version demonstrates comparable psychometric properties to its English original.
• The tool is validated for individual care needs assessment in forensic psychiatric settings.
• The CANFOR Portuguese version serves as a valuable guide for mental health and social interventions within forensic services.