Inconsistent responding on the MMPI-2-RF and uncooperative attitude: Evidence from cognitive performance validity measures.

It is generally well understood that possible reasons for inconsistent responding on the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF), as measured by the Variable Response Inconsistency (VRIN-r) and True Response Inconsistency (TRIN-r) scales, include reading or language limitations, cognitive impairment, and intentional random responding; however, the interpretive recommendations for the test suggest that higher scores on these scales can also result from an uncooperative test-taking approach. This study utilized a sample of 3,457 predominately non-head injury disability claimants to examine the association between inconsistent responding on the MMPI-2-RF and performance on cognitive tests as well performance validity tests (PVTs), an independent indicator of uncooperative test-taking attitude. Analysis of variance found that both VRIN-r and TRIN-r were associated with statistically lower cognitive test scores.

Symptom validity testing in medically unexplained pain: a chronic regional pain syndrome type 1 case series.

This study examines validity findings in a particular behavioral pain disorder. We examined two types of validity scores in 73 participants with a primary diagnosis of the controversial Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Type I (CRPS-1). All participants were incentivized by a disability-seeking context.

Secular IQ increases by epigenesis? The hypothesis of cognitive genotype optimization.

The short timescale of massive secular IQ gains ("Flynn Effect") is inconsistent with positive selection of a recent gene mutation, but other genetic mechanisms are possible. Principles of evolutionary psychology, combined with secular trends, suggest an epigenetic explanation: the Cognitive Genome Optimization Hypothesis. Per life-history theory, favorable secular trends may change the phenotypic expression of the genotype which controls the neurophysiology of problem solving.

A misleading review of response bias: comment on McGrath, Mitchell, Kim, and Hough (2010).

In the May 2010 issue of Psychological Bulletin, R. E. McGrath, M.

MMPI-2 validity scores in defense- versus plaintiff-selected examinations: a repeated measures study of examiner effects.

The effects of forensic examiner role on validity scores have rarely been studied empirically. We used a repeated measures design to examine the association between examiner role (plaintiff- and defense-selected neuropsychologists) and scores on eight Minnesota Multiphasic Inventory-2 validity scores (MMPI-2-VRIN, -TRIN, -L, -K, -F, -Fb, -Fp, and -FBS) of the same 80 individuals. All 80 were involved in litigation following mostly minor neurological injuries.

The MMPI-2 Symptom Validity Scale (FBS) not influenced by medical impairment: a large sleep center investigation.

The Symptom Validity Scale (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2-FBS [MMPI-2-FBS]) is a standard MMPI-2 validity scale measuring overstatement of somatic distress and subjective disability. Some critics assert the MMPI-2-FBS misclassifies too many medically impaired persons as malingering symptoms. This study tests the assertion of malingering misclassification with a large sample of 345 medical inpatients undergoing sleep studies that standardly included MMPI-2 testing.

Test of memory malingering and word memory test: a new comparison of failure concordance rates.

Two commonly used symptom validity tests are the Test of Memory Malingering (TOMM) and Word Memory Test (WMT). After examining TOMM-WMT failure concordance rates, Green [Green, P. (2007).

Clinical myths of forensic neuropsychology.

Clinical myths and lore are unfounded beliefs that still influence practice decisions. I examine the validity of six beliefs commonly encountered in forensic neuropsychology practice: the admissibility of test batteries; avoidance of practice effects; forewarning insures good effort; average deficits in bright persons; 15% chronic impairment in mild brain injury; and examiner bias causing malingering. I show these beliefs are invalid because of material misunderstandings of case law and literature, falsification by empirical findings, and lack of authoritative sources.

Validity testing in dually diagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder and mild closed head injury.

Prospects for the coexistence of post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSS) and mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) rely exclusively on subjective evidence, increasing the risk of response bias in a compensatable social context. Using a priori specificities derived from genuine brain disorder groups, we examined validity failure rates in three domains (symptom, cognitive, motor) in 799 persons reporting persistent subjective disability long after mild neurological injury. Validity tests included the Test of Memory Malingering, MMPI-2 Fake Bad Scale, and Infrequency (F) scales, reliable digit span, and Halstead-Reitan finger tapping.

Neuropsychological correlates of manganese exposure: a meta-analysis.

The hypothesized effect of recurrent low-dose manganese (Mn) exposure on neuropsychological function is controversial because of inconsistent findings across three decades of research. We conducted a meta-analysis on 41 variables from nineteen neuropsychological studies of Mn-exposed workers. The results showed: Large effect size (ES) for biological markers of Mn and lead levels; thirteen of 26 neurocognitive measures showing a small average ES; only one of 26 tasks showed a moderate ES; and small to medium ES for confounding/competing variables such as education and aptitude.

Commentary on cognitive impairment with toxigenic fungal exposure.

Recently, Gordon et al. (2004) published an article entitled "Cognitive Impairment Associated with Toxigenic Fungal Exposure: A Replication and Extension of Previous Findings." That article claims that neurocognitive deficits are pervasive in persons self-diagnosed with "toxic" mold exposure relative to historical norms.

The Fake Bad Scale and MMPI-2 F-family in detection of implausible psychological trauma claims.

We tested the validity of the Lees-Haley Fake Bad Scale (FBS) and the family of MMPI-2 F scales (F-family; F, F(p), and F-K scales) in predicting improbable psychological trauma claims in an applied setting. Litigants reporting implausible symptoms long after minor scares and nonlitigants clinically referred following severe stressors completed the MMPI-2. Both groups were naturally matched on social class.

Methodological problems in the neuropsychological assessment of effects of exposure to welding fumes and manganese.

Recently, Kaiser (2003) raised concerns over the increase in brain damage claims reportedly due to exposure to welding fumes. In the present article, we discuss methodological problems in conducting neuropsychological research on the effects of welding exposure, using a recent paper by Bowler et al. (2003) as an example to illustrate problems common in the neurotoxicity literature.

Premorbid clues? Preinjury scholastic performance and present neuropsychological functioning in late postconcussion syndrome.

Neuropsychologists rely on demographic variables to form assumptions about premorbid status, and most use years of education as the main variable. School records are a more objective basis for such estimation, particularly in litigated cases. In the present study, final cumulative grade point average (GPA) was regressed on to Halstead-Reitan Battery (HRB), IQ and other neuropsychological test scores in 60 nonmalingering postconcussive litigants and 17 litigants with moderate-severe closed head injury.

The fake bad scale in atypical and severe closed head injury litigants.

The correlational and diagnostic properties of Lees-Haley's MMPI-2 Fake Bad Scale (FBS) were examined in litigating atypical minor, litigating moderate-severe, and non-litigating moderate-severe head injury samples. Overall, the FBS was sensitive to both litigation status and nonconforming versus conforming symptom courses. The FBS appeared superior to the MMPI-2 F and F-K scales in differentiating atypical from real brain-injury outcomes.

Neuropsychological and psychosocial correlates of adult arithmetic deficiency.

The purpose of this study was to examine adult correlates of rule-derived arithmetic deficiency. The authors collected neuropsychological, handedness, gender, and psychosocial data of adults with stringently defined arithmetic deficiency (AD; N = 45), reading deficiency (N = 45), and dual deficiency (N = 45). The authors did not match groups on IQ score and did not restrict analyses to right-handed men.

Actual versus self-reported scholastic achievement of litigating postconcussion and severe closed head injury claimants.

Psychologists typically rely on patients' self-report of premorbid status in litigated settings. The authors examined the fidelity between self-reported and actual scholastic performance in litigating head injury claimants. The data indicated late postconcussion syndrome (LPCS) and severe closed head injury litigants retrospectively inflated scholastic performance to a greater degree than nonlitigating control groups.

Motor dysfunction profiles in traumatic brain injury and postconcussion syndrome.

Motor measures are sensitive to central lesions, but they are also affected by peripheral injury and motivation. The motor skills profiles of proven brain injury clients were compared with the profiles of healthy postconcussion patients. The chief result was a double dissociation: The traumatic brain injury (TBI) group produced a motor dysfunction gradient consistent with upper motor neuron disease, while the compensation-seeking postconcussion group produced a nonphysiologic pattern.

Comparison of multiple scoring methods for Rey's malingered amnesia measures.

The predictive accuracy of Andre Rey's malingered amnesia measures (Memory for Fifteen Items and Word Recognition List) was examined. Discriminant function and crosstabulation analytic strategies were applied to predict membership in either a traumatically brain injured group (n = 60) or in a litigated minor head injury group claiming permanent severe disability (n = 90). Satisfactory hit rates were achieved with Rey's original scoring methods, but improved hit rates were obtained with scoring modifications.

Carbamazepine offers no psychotropic advantage over phenytoin in adult epileptic subjects.

We compared 19 men on carbamazepine (CBZ) monotherapy with 19 men on phenytoin (PHT) monotherapy, all of whom had standard therapeutic levels. The two groups were matched for age, sex, education, premorbid predicted IQ, seizure frequency, duration, number, type and aetiology, weekly ethanol consumption and psychiatric history. The two groups did not differ statistically on self- and reliable-informant rated personality inventories, word recognition, face recognition, confrontation naming, finger oscillation or trailmaking series completion times.

Waves earlier than P3 are more informative in putative subcortical dementias: a study with mapping and neuropsychological techniques.

Thirty subjects (normal controls, patients with putative subcortical dementia and non-demented patient controls) were studied using advanced neurophysiological (16 scalp-electrode positions, computer-assisted brain electrical activity mapping, auditory oddball paradigm) and neuropsychological techniques. Our study suggests that waves earlier than P3 (N1, P2 and N2) are all correlated with global measures of cognitive functions. They are, however, differentially correlated with specific measures of cognitive functions, N1 and P2 with mental speed and N2 with short-term memory.

Neuropsychological improvement following endarterectomy as a function of outcome measure and reconstructed vessel.

30 patient receiving right or left carotid reconstruction and 15 medically matched controls were compared pre- and post-surgically on measures of motor speed, sustained vigilance, verbal memory and verbal and nonverbal intellectual function. The group receiving right sided vessel reconstruction demonstrated the largest post-operative improvement in intellectual function in any of the groups. The findings suggest that increased blood perfusion following right sided endarterectomy facilitates the right hemisphere's exclusive control of bilateral attention/arousal responses.