Threats to the integrity of psychological assessment: The misuse of test raw data and materials.

In the practice of psychological assessment there have been warnings for decades by the American Psychological Association (APA), the National Academy of Neuropsychology (NAN), other associations, and test vendors, against the disclosure of test raw data and test materials. Psychological assessment occurs across several different practice environments, and test raw data is a particularly sensitive aspect of practice considering what it implicitly represents about a client/patient, and this concept is further developed in this paper. Many times, test materials are intellectual property protected by copyrights and user agreements.

Ecological validity of the Meyers Neuropsychological Battery.

Neuropsychologists are increasingly being asked to apply neuropsychological test results to real world functioning; however, neuropsychological tests are not usually constructed to do so, but instead are more concerned with diagnostic accuracy than with prediction of daily functioning. Using samples of 5,460 patients that did self-ratings and 2791 patients that had family ratings plus the Meyers Neuropsychological Battery (MNB), it was found that the family ratings were better predicted by neuropsychological test data than were self-ratings on the 38 item Patient Competency Rating Scale (PCRS). The R values for family ratings on the 36 regression equations ranged from .

Physician norms for the Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics (ANAM).

Introduction: The development of population specific norms for the Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics (ANAM) is to help expand the utility for use with other population groups. Currently, normative data are available for general military, special operations, athletic, and community populations. The current study provides normative reference values for use in assessing physicians.

A Validity Measure for the Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics.

The Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics (ANAM) is one of the most widely used and validated neuropsychological instruments for assessing cognition. The ANAM Test System includes a reporting tool, the ANAM Validity Indicator Report that generates scores for the embedded effort measure, the ANAM Performance Validity Index (APVI). The current study seeks to develop a proxy for the APVI, using raw subtest summary test scores.

Objective methods for matching neuropsychological patterns: Formulas and comparisons.

Introduction: Objective neuropsychology test score pattern matching methods can help to identify data similarities and differences with comparison groups which can help the clinician in diagnosis and in identifying treatment options.

Materials And Methods: The current study examines five methods of matching a data set: Correlation, Configuration, Kullback-Leibler (KL) Divergence, Pooled Effect Size (Cohen's ), and a new method called MNB (Meyers Neuropsychological Battery) Code. Thirty data sets diagnosed with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) were compared with four Comparison Group data sets consisting of TBI, Depression, Anxiety and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.

Tuning π-Acceptor/σ-Donor Ratio of the 2-Isocyanoazulene Ligand: Non-Fluorinated Rival of Pentafluorophenyl Isocyanide and Trifluorovinyl Isocyanide Discovered.

Isocyanoazulenes (CNAz) constitute a relatively new class of isocyanoarenes that offers rich structural and electronic diversification of the organic isocyanide ligand platform. This article considers a series of 2-isocyano-1,3-X-azulene ligands (X = H, Me, COEt, Br, and CN) and the corresponding zero-valent complexes thereof, [(OC)Cr(2-isocyano-1,3-X-azulene)]. Air- and thermally stable, X-ray structurally characterized 2-isocyano-1,3-dimethylazulene may be viewed as a non-benzenoid aromatic congener of 2,6-dimethyphenyl isocyanide (2,6-xylyl isocyanide), a longtime "workhorse" aryl isocyanide ligand in coordination chemistry.

Long-Term Test-Retest Stability of ANAM in a Large Military Sample.

Objective: This paper examines the long-term stability of the Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics (ANAM) over 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year time periods.

Methods: The sample was drawn from active duty military personnel. All individuals were administered the ANAM and were re-administered the ANAM a second time, either 1 year, 3 years, or 5 years later.

Use of multiple performance and symptom validity measures: Determining the optimal per test cutoff for determination of invalidity, analysis of skew, and inter-test correlations in valid and invalid performance groups.

Discrimination of patients passing vs. failing the Word Memory Test (WMT) by performance on 11 performance and symptom validity tests (PVTs, SVTs) from the Meyers Neuropsychological Battery (MNB) at per-test false positive cutoffs ranging from 0 to 15%. PVT and SVT intercorrelation in subgroups passing and failing the WMT, as well as the degree of skew of the individual PVTs and SVT in the pass/fail subgroups, were also analyzed.

Premorbid estimates of neuropsychological functioning for diverse groups.

One of the basic tasks performed by a neuropsychologist is to identify the difference between current performance and the premorbid expected performance. Baseline expected performance for Intellectually Impaired ( = 21), Developmentally Delayed ( = 40), Attention Deficit Disorder ( = 98), Learning Disability ( = 42), and "Normal" groups ( = 75) were developed along with a demographically corrected prediction of premorbid functioning and a word reading based prediction of premorbid functioning. We utilized a subset of this data pool for development ( = 107) and validation ( = 108) of premorbid functioning estimates.

Time estimation: Close your eyes and tell me when a minute goes by.

The 1-minute estimation test is a relatively new task. This article is an initial offering showing normative data for children from age six up through adulthood (age =76). The task is quite simple, the individual was simply asked to estimate the passage of time for 1 minute.

Population Health Solutions for Assessing Cognitive Impairment in Geriatric Patients.

In December 2017, the National Academy of Neuropsychology convened an interorganizational Summit on Population Health Solutions for Assessing Cognitive Impairment in Geriatric Patients in Denver, Colorado. The Summit brought together representatives of a broad range of stakeholders invested in the care of older adults to focus on the topic of cognitive health and aging. Summit participants specifically examined questions of who should be screened for cognitive impairment and how they should be screened in medical settings.

Population Health Solutions for Assessing Cognitive Impairment in Geriatric Patients.

In December 2017, the National Academy of Neuropsychology convened an interorganizational Summit on Population Health Solutions for Assessing Cognitive Impairment in Geriatric Patients in Denver, Colorado. The Summit brought together representatives of a broad range of stakeholders invested in the care of older adults to focus on the topic of cognitive health and aging. Summit participants specifically examined questions of who should be screened for cognitive impairment and how they should be screened in medical settings.

Population Health Solutions for Assessing Cognitive Impairment in Geriatric Patients.

In December 2017, the National Academy of Neuropsychology convened an interorganizational Summit on Population Health Solutions for Assessing Cognitive Impairment in Geriatric Patients in Denver, Colorado. The Summit brought together representatives of a broad range of stakeholders invested in the care of older adults to focus on the topic of cognitive health and aging. Summit participants specifically examined questions of who should be screened for cognitive impairment and how they should be screened in medical settings.

Presidential Address National Academy of Neuropsychology Conference Boston 2017.

This presidential address attempts to predict the future directions of neuropsychology. Predicting the future is always a difficult thing. By examining population trends such as aging and demographics, a clearer picture becomes visible.

An Unusual Triple-Decker Variant of the Tetragonal BaAl-Structure Type: Synthesis, Structural Characterization, and Chemical Bonding of SrCdGe and EuCdGe.

Reported are the synthesis and the crystal structures of the new ternary phases SrCdGe and EuCdGe. The structures of both compounds have been established by single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction methods. They crystallize in the tetragonal space group I4/mmm (No.

WAIS-IV Seven-Subtest Short Form: Validity and Clinical Use in Schizophrenia.

Objective: This study assesses the psychometric properties of Ward's seven-subtest short form (SF) for WAIS-IV in a sample of adults with schizophrenia (SZ) and schizoaffective disorder.

Method: Seventy patients diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were administered the full version of the WAIS-IV. Four different versions of the Ward's SF were then calculated.

Anti-inflammatory effects of novel barbituric acid derivatives in T lymphocytes.

We have used a high throughput small molecule screen, using a fission yeast-based assay, to identify novel phosphodiesterase 7 (PDE7) inhibitors. One of the most effective hit compounds was BC12, a barbituric acid-based molecule that exhibits unusually potent immunosuppressive and immunomodulatory actions on T lymphocyte function, including inhibition of T cell proliferation and IL-2 cytokine production. BC12 treatment confers a >95% inhibition of IL-2 secretion in phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) plus phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) stimulated Jurkat T cells.

Embedded Measures of Performance Validity in the Rey Complex Figure Test in a Clinical Sample of Veterans.

The purpose of this study was to determine how well scores from the Rey Complex Figure Test (RCFT) could serve as embedded measures of performance validity in a large, heterogeneous clinical sample at an urban-based Veterans' Affairs hospital. Participants were divided into credible performance (n = 244) and noncredible performance (n = 87) groups based on common performance validity tests during their respective clinical evaluations. We evaluated how well preselected RCFT scores could discriminate between the 2 groups using cut scores from single indexes as well as multivariate logistic regression prediction models.

Normative Data for the Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory.

The demographically diverse populations served by large health care systems (Veterans Affairs, Department of Defense, Medicare, Medicaid) are routinely screened with the Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory (NSI). The extent to which a patient's report of symptoms either initially and/or across time is affected by demographic variables-gender, ethnicity, age, or education-has not been investigated despite widespread use of the NSI. In practice, the effectiveness of this tool might be improved with demographically based norms.

Accuracy of the Modified Somatic Perception Questionnaire and Pain Disability Index in the detection of malingered pain-related disability in chronic pain.

The Modified Somatic Perception Questionnaire (MSPQ) and the Pain Disability Index (PDI) are both popular clinical screening instruments in general orthopedic, rheumatologic, and neurosurgical clinics and are useful for identifying pain patients whose physical symptom presentations and disability may be non-organic. Previous studies found both to accurately detect malingered pain presentations; however, the generalizability of these results is not clear. This study used a criterion groups validation design (retrospective cohort of patients with chronic pain, n = 328) with a simulator group (college students, n = 98) to determine the accuracy of the MSPQ and PDI in detecting Malingered Pain Related Disability.

Inhibition of type 4 cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase blocks intracellular TLR signaling in chronic lymphocytic leukemia and normal hematopoietic cells.

A subset of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) BCRs interacts with Ags expressed on apoptotic cells, suggesting that CLL BCRs have the potential to internalize apoptotic cell RNA- or DNA-containing fragments with resultant activation of TLR7 or TLR9, respectively. By blocking cAMP degradation, type 4 cAMP phosphodiesterase (PDE4) inhibitors activate cAMP-mediated signaling and induce apoptosis in CLL cells. In this study, we show that autologous irradiated leukemic cells induce proliferation in CLL cells and that such proliferation is blocked by a TLR7/8/9 inhibitor, by DNase, and by the PDE4 inhibitor rolipram.

An adaptation of the MMPI-2 Meyers Index for the MMPI-2-RF.

Using an overall sample of 278 individuals who had taken the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Second Edition (MMPI-2) and who had clear diagnostic information available in their medical records, the Meyers Index (MI) for the MMPI-2 (Meyers, Millis, & Volkert, 2002 ) was calculated for each individual, and a new version of the MI created for the MMPI-2 Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF) was calculated. The MI is a method of combining multiple MMPI-2 validity scales into a single weighted index to assess exaggerated self-report on the MMPI-2. The new index is intended to provide the same type of global assessment of validity but for the MMPI-2-RF (MI-r).

Using pattern analysis matching to differentiate TBI and PTSD in a military sample.

Distinguishing between traumatic brain injury (TBI) residuals and the effects of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) during neuropsychological evaluation can be difficult because of significant overlap of symptom presentation. Using a standardized battery of tests, an artificial neural network was used to create an algorithm to perform pattern analysis matching (PAM) functions that can be used to assist with diagnosis. PAM analyzes a patient's neuropsychological data and provides a best fit classification, according to one of four groups: TBI, PTSD, malingering/invalid data, or "other" (depressed/anxious/postconcussion syndrome/normal).

Emotional distress affects attention and concentration: the difference between mountains and valleys.

The current study tests the hypothesis that the "mountains and valleys pattern" (MVP) observed within the Attention and Concentration domain of the Meyers Neuropsychological Battery reflects the interference of emotional distress/anxiety on the patient's cognitive test performance. First, the MVP was objectively quantified using a formula that took into account both increased and decreased scores, rather than canceling them out through averaging. Using a total sample of 787 subjects, the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Second Edition Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF) profile scores of cases with and without this pattern were then compared using an extensive database followed by a smaller, matched-groups design.