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Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology :... Nov 2020This is the first systematic review and meta-analysis of the Test of Memory Malingering (TOMM) in pediatric examinees. It adheres to Preferred Reporting Items for... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
OBJECTIVE
This is the first systematic review and meta-analysis of the Test of Memory Malingering (TOMM) in pediatric examinees. It adheres to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines.
METHOD
A systematic literature search was conducted using PsycINFO and PubMed, reviewing articles from January 1997 to July 2019. Books providing data on pediatric validity testing were also reviewed for references to relevant articles. Eligibility criteria included publication in a peer-reviewed journal, utilizing a pediatric sample, providing sufficient data to calculate specificity and/or sensitivity, and providing a means for evaluating validity status external to the TOMM. After selection criteria were applied, 9 articles remained for meta-analysis. Samples included clinical patients and healthy children recruited for research purposes; ages ranged from 5 to 18. Fixed and random effects models were used to calculate classification accuracy statistics.
RESULTS
Traditional adult-derived cutoffs for Trial 2 and Retention were highly specific (0.96-0.99) in pediatric examinees for both clinical and research samples. Sensitivity was relatively strong (0.68-0.70), although only two studies reported sensitivity rates. A supplemental review of the literature corroborated these findings, revealing that traditional adult-based TOMM cutoffs are supported in most pediatric settings. However, limited research exists on the impact of very young age, extremely low cognitive functioning, and varying clinical diagnoses.
CONCLUSIONS
The TOMM, at traditional adult cutoffs, has strong specificity as a performance validity test in pediatric neuropsychological evaluations. This meta-analysis found that specificity values in children are comparable to those of adults. Areas for further research are discussed.
Topics: Adult; Child; Cognition; Humans; Malingering; Memory Disorders; Memory and Learning Tests; Neuropsychological Tests
PubMed: 33047780
DOI: 10.1093/arclin/acaa075 -
The Clinical Neuropsychologist Jan 2020The present study, adhering to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, is the first systematic review and meta-analysis... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
The present study, adhering to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, is the first systematic review and meta-analysis of the Test of Memory Malingering (TOMM) to examine traditional and alternative cutoffs across Trial 1, Trial 2, and Retention. Search criteria identified 539 articles published from 1997 to 2017. After application of selection criteria, 60 articles were retained for meta-analysis. Classification accuracy statistics were calculated using fixed- and random-effects models. For Trial 1, a cutoff of <42 was found to result in the highest sensitivity value (0.59-0.70) when maintaining specificity at ≥0.90. Traditional cutoffs for Trial 2 and Retention were highly specific (0.96-0.98) and moderately sensitive (0.46-0.56) when considering all available studies and only neurocognitive/psychiatric samples classified by known-groups design. For both trials, a modified cutoff of <49 allowed for improved sensitivity (0.59-0.70) while maintaining adequate specificity (0.91-0.97). A supplementary review revealed that traditional TOMM cutoffs produced >0.90 specificity across most samples of examinees for whom English is not the primary language, but well-below acceptable levels in individuals with dementia. The TOMM is highly specific when interpreted per traditional cutoffs. In individuals not suspected of significant impairment, findings indicate that a less conservative TOMM Trial 2 or Retention cutoff of <49 can be interpreted as invalid, especially in settings associated with higher base rates of invalidity and, thus, higher positive predictive power. A cutoff of <42 on Trial 1 can also be interpreted as invalid in most settings.
Topics: Female; Humans; Male; Malingering; Memory and Learning Tests; Neuropsychological Tests
PubMed: 31357918
DOI: 10.1080/13854046.2019.1637027 -
Law and Human Behavior Feb 2022This systematic review and preliminary meta-analysis examined the effectiveness of translated versions of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) and... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
OBJECTIVE
This systematic review and preliminary meta-analysis examined the effectiveness of translated versions of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) and the MMPI-2 Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF) in detecting response distortion (i.e., symptom exaggeration and minimization), a central concern in forensic assessment.
HYPOTHESES
We hypothesized that translated versions of the MMPI-2 and MMPI-2-RF would generate significantly weaker effect sizes in detecting response distortion than those observed with English-language studies.
METHOD
We identified 26 studies, representing seven language translations of the MMPI-2 (k = 20) and two of the MMPI-2-RF (k = 6). We calculated effect sizes (Cohen's ds) based on the mean score difference between honest and nongenuine responders for each study on each symptom exaggeration (e.g., F/F-r, Fp/Fp-r) and minimization (e.g., L/L-r, K/K-r) scale examined, along with mean effect size estimates (Hedges' g) for the Spanish and Italian translations (no other translation had more than two published studies).
RESULTS
Spanish-language studies generally produced large (d ≥ 1.25) to very large (d ≥ 1.75) effect sizes when detecting both symptom exaggeration and minimization. Italian-language studies generally produced small to moderate effect sizes when detecting symptom exaggeration and predominately moderate (d ≤ 1.25) effect sizes when detecting minimization. Significant variability within and across scales was observed in both Spanish-language and Italian-language studies. Most studies utilizing a translated version of the MMPI-2 other than Spanish or Italian produced very large (d ≥ 1.75) effect sizes when detecting symptom exaggeration and weaker (d ≤ 1.00) effect sizes when detecting minimization.
CONCLUSIONS
This systematic review and preliminary meta-analysis demonstrated effect sizes that overlapped with those observed in English-language studies. Although clearly preliminary, given the limited published research to date, these data suggest that the MMPI instruments retain some utility in detecting response distortion when translated. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).
Topics: Humans; MMPI; Malingering; Reproducibility of Results; Symptom Flare Up
PubMed: 35073117
DOI: 10.1037/lhb0000469 -
The Clinical Neuropsychologist Jan 2017Computerized neuropsychological assessment of concussion has rapidly expanded and Immediate Post-Concussion and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT) is among the most commonly... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
Computerized neuropsychological assessment of concussion has rapidly expanded and Immediate Post-Concussion and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT) is among the most commonly used measures in this domain. ImPACT was primarily developed for use with athletic populations but continues to expand beyond athletics to settings such as the workplace and schools where motivational dispositions may vary. The purpose of the present study was to conduct a systematic review of existing research investigating the prevalence of invalid baseline results and the effectiveness of ImPACT's embedded invalidity indicators in detecting suspect effort.
METHOD
Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines were followed in order to systematically structure a search across four databases and analysis of studies that presented data related to the prevalence of invalid performance and/or the effectiveness of ImPACT's embedded invalidity indicators.
RESULTS
A total of 17 studies included prevalence rates of invalid performances or examined the effectiveness of ImPACT's invalidity indicators. Of the 17 studies, 12 included prevalence rates of invalid baseline results; and across this group of studies (after removing an outlier), the weighted prevalence rate of invalid baseline results was 6%. Four of the 17 studies examined the effectiveness of ImPACT's embedded invalidity indicators. ImPACT's embedded invalidity indicators correctly identified suboptimal effort in approximately 80% of individuals instructed to perform poorly and avoid detection ('coached') or instructed to perform poorly ('naïve').
CONCLUSIONS
These findings raise a number of issues pertaining to the use of ImPACT. Invalid performance incidence may increase with large group versus individual administration, use in nonclinical settings, and among those with Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder or learning disability. Additionally, the older desktop version of ImPACT appears to be associated with a higher rate of invalid performances than the online version. Although ImPACT's embedded invalidity indicators detect invalid performance at a rate of 6% on average, known group validity studies suggest that these measures miss invalid performance approximately 20% of the time when individuals purposefully underperform.
Topics: Brain Concussion; Cognition; Humans; Malingering; Neuropsychological Tests; Reproducibility of Results
PubMed: 27687890
DOI: 10.1080/13854046.2016.1220622 -
Psychological Assessment Nov 2017The cross-cultural validity of feigning instruments and cut-scores is a critical concern for forensic mental health clinicians. This systematic review evaluated feigning... (Review)
Review
The cross-cultural validity of feigning instruments and cut-scores is a critical concern for forensic mental health clinicians. This systematic review evaluated feigning classification accuracy and effect sizes across instruments and languages by summarizing 45 published peer-reviewed articles and unpublished doctoral dissertations conducted in Europe, Asia, and North America using linguistically, ethnically, and culturally diverse samples. The most common psychiatric symptom measures used with linguistically, ethnically, and culturally diverse samples included the Structured Inventory of Malingered Symptomatology, the Miller Forensic Assessment of Symptoms Test, and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI). The most frequently studied cognitive effort measures included the Word Recognition Test, the Test of Memory Malingering, and the Rey 15-item Memory test. The classification accuracy of these measures is compared and the implications of this research literature are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record
Topics: Humans; Malingering; Neuropsychological Tests; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
PubMed: 28080105
DOI: 10.1037/pas0000438 -
Tijdschrift Voor Psychiatrie 2022We describe a case of a patient with a functional coma ,and give a systemic review of literature. Functional coma is an extremely rare disorder with only 21 described...
We describe a case of a patient with a functional coma ,and give a systemic review of literature. Functional coma is an extremely rare disorder with only 21 described cases in the literature. The disease is linked to a conversion disorder or a dissociative disorder and is predominantly found in females. Predisposing factors are a history of sexual or physical abuse, psychiatric disorders, previous episodes of functional coma, and recent surgery with general anesthesia. Several clinical signs are suggestive for the diagnosis, however none of them is sufficiently sensitive or specific. Therefore, functional coma remains an exclusion diagnosis. Vital signs must be normal, just as a routine blood examination, an electroencephalogram and imaging of the central nervous system. The most important differential diagnosis are catatonia, factitious disorder, and malingering. Spontaneous recovery can be expected after a duration of about 45 minutes to 4 days.
Topics: Female; Humans; Catatonia; Coma; Conversion Disorder; Diagnosis, Differential; Dissociative Disorders; Factitious Disorders
PubMed: 36583281
DOI: No ID Found -
Child Neuropsychology : a Journal on... 2015The assessment of response validity is now considered an important and necessary component of neuropsychological evaluations. One way for assessing response validity is... (Review)
Review
The assessment of response validity is now considered an important and necessary component of neuropsychological evaluations. One way for assessing response validity is with performance validity tests (PVTs), which measure the degree of effort applied to testing to achieve optimal performance. Numerous studies have shown that normal and neurologically impaired children are capable of passing certain free-standing PVTs using adult cutoffs. Despite this, PVT use appears to be more common in adults compared to children. The overall purpose of this systematic review is to provide the reader with a general overview of the existing literature on PVTs in children. As part of this review, goals are to inform the reader why PVT use is not as prevalent in children compared to adults, to discuss why PVTs and related methods are important in pediatric cognitive evaluations, and to discuss practical limitations and future directions.
Topics: Adult; Child; Cognition Disorders; Disability Evaluation; Female; Humans; Malingering; Memory Disorders; Neuropsychological Tests; Reference Standards
PubMed: 24344790
DOI: 10.1080/09297049.2013.864383 -
Child Abuse & Neglect Oct 2017Little is known about the perpetrators of medical child abuse (MCA) which is often described as "Munchausen's syndrome by proxy" or "factitious disorder imposed on... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
INTRODUCTION
Little is known about the perpetrators of medical child abuse (MCA) which is often described as "Munchausen's syndrome by proxy" or "factitious disorder imposed on another". The demographic and clinical characteristics of these abusers have yet to be described in a sufficiently large sample. We aimed to address this issue through a systematic review of case reports and series in the professional literature.
METHOD
A systematic search for case reports and series published since 1965 was undertaken using MEDLINE, Web of Science and EMBASE. 4100 database records were screened. A supplementary search was then conducted using GoogleScholar and reference lists of eligible studies. Our search yielded a total sample of 796 perpetrators: 309 from case reports and 487 from case series. Information extracted included demographic and clinical characteristics, in addition to methods of abuse and case outcomes.
RESULTS
Nearly all abusers were female (97.6%) and the victim's mother (95.6%). Most were married (75.8%). Mean caretaker age at the child's presentation was 27.6 years. Perpetrators were frequently reported to be in healthcare-related professions (45.6%), to have had obstetric complications (23.5%), or to have histories of childhood maltreatment (30%). The most common psychiatric diagnoses recorded were factitious disorder imposed on self (30.9%), personality disorder (18.6%), and depression (14.2%).
CONCLUSIONS
From the largest analysis of MCA perpetrators to date, we provide several clinical recommendations. In particular, we urge clinicians to consider mothers with a personal history of childhood maltreatment, obstetric complications, and/or factitious disorder at heightened risk for MCA. Longitudinal studies are required to establish the true prognostic value of these factors as our method may have been vulnerable to publication bias.
Topics: Acrylic Resins; Caregivers; Child; Factitious Disorders; Fathers; Female; Health Literacy; Hospitalization; Humans; Male; Mental Disorders; Mothers; Motivation; Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy; Professional-Family Relations; Risk Factors
PubMed: 28750264
DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2017.07.008 -
Journal of the International... Sep 2016The Forced Choice Recognition (FCR) trial of the California Verbal Learning Test, 2nd edition, was designed as an embedded performance validity test (PVT). To our... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVES
The Forced Choice Recognition (FCR) trial of the California Verbal Learning Test, 2nd edition, was designed as an embedded performance validity test (PVT). To our knowledge, this is the first systematic review of classification accuracy against reference PVTs.
METHODS
Results from peer-reviewed studies with FCR data published since 2002 encompassing a variety of clinical, research, and forensic samples were summarized, including 37 studies with FCR failure rates (N=7575) and 17 with concordance rates with established PVTs (N=4432).
RESULTS
All healthy controls scored >14 on FCR. On average, 16.9% of the entire sample scored ≤14, while 25.9% failed reference PVTs. Presence or absence of external incentives to appear impaired (as identified by researchers) resulted in different failure rates (13.6% vs. 3.5%), as did failing or passing reference PVTs (49.0% vs. 6.4%). FCR ≤14 produced an overall classification accuracy of 72%, demonstrating higher specificity (.93) than sensitivity (.50) to invalid performance. Failure rates increased with the severity of cognitive impairment.
CONCLUSIONS
In the absence of serious neurocognitive disorder, FCR ≤14 is highly specific, but only moderately sensitive to invalid responding. Passing FCR does not rule out a non-credible presentation, but failing FCR rules it in with high accuracy. The heterogeneity in sample characteristics and reference PVTs, as well as the quality of the criterion measure across studies, is a major limitation of this review and the basic methodology of PVT research in general. (JINS, 2016, 22, 851-858).
Topics: Cognitive Dysfunction; Humans; Malingering; Neuropsychological Tests; Psychometrics; Psychomotor Performance
PubMed: 27619108
DOI: 10.1017/S1355617716000746 -
Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology :... Feb 2019Interpretation of neuropsychological test data is only valid when appropriate effort has been exerted. Research, however, suggests that neuropsychologists do not always...
OBJECTIVE
Interpretation of neuropsychological test data is only valid when appropriate effort has been exerted. Research, however, suggests that neuropsychologists do not always formally test for effort and that this may especially be the case in the context of dementia assessment. This review systematically examined the literature that has investigated the use of both purpose-built and embedded effort-sensitive indices in dementia, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and healthy control samples. The aim was to determine which tests of effort are most sensitive to suboptimal effort and least sensitive to the type of cognitive impairment seen in dementia.
METHODS
A systematic search of databases was conducted to October 2017. There was no start date.
RESULTS
Twenty-five studies were included for review. The studies were divided into two categories according to methodology. One category of studies (n = 5) was reviewed using a tailored methodological quality rating checklist whilst the remaining studies (n = 20) were reviewed using the Crowe Critical Appraisal Tool (CCAT).
CONCLUSIONS
The results of this review suggest that PVTs which take a hierarchical approach to effort testing such as the WMT, MSVT, and NV-MSVT are preferable for use with older adults who are under investigation for possible dementia. These tests go above and beyond the traditional pass/fail approach of more traditional tests of effort because they allow the examiner to analyze the examinee's profile of scores. The methodological limitations and challenges involved in this field of research are discussed.
Topics: Cognitive Dysfunction; Dementia; Humans; Malingering; Neurologic Examination; Neuropsychological Tests
PubMed: 29579143
DOI: 10.1093/arclin/acy012