| Sumario: | Purpose: This pretest/posttest study examined the effectiveness of an online training module that was designed to assist law enforcement officers in differentiating traumatic brain injury (TBI) from alcohol intoxication (AI). Officers must differentiate TBI signs from AI signs during encounters with individuals with TBI in order to respond appropriately, yet they receive little training in TBI. This skill is important because many signs of TBI and AI mimic one another, and distinguishing them under stressful conditions can be problematic. The increased number of veterans who have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan with TBI increases the likelihood of unnecessary and unfortunate confrontations between individuals with TBI and law enforcement officers. Method: Eighty-five law enforcement officers from agencies in Kentucky completed an online training module that included information on identifying and differentiating TBI and AI signs, supported by video clips demonstrating TBI signs. The pre- and posttests consisted of an encounter scenario and identification of TBI and AI signs. Results: Results showed a statistically significant increase in total posttest scores, suggesting that the training was effective. Officers reported little TBI training, and career experience was not associated with higher pretest scores. Conclusion: Training in TBI signs can be effective in helping law enforcement officers differentiate TBI signs from AI signs. Officer experience is not sufficient to produce familiarity with signs of TBI. Speech-language pathologists can play a role in educating this important segment of our community to minimize negative interactions between individuals with TBI and law enforcement officers and other first responders.
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