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.

Classification accuracy of the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-III modifier indices in the detection of malingering in traumatic brain injury.

The present study used criterion groups validation to determine the ability of the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-III (MCMI-III) modifier indices to detect malingering in traumatic brain injury (TBI). Patients with TBI who met criteria for malingered neurocognitive dysfunction (MND) were compared to those who showed no indications of malingering. Data were collected from 108 TBI patients referred for neuropsychological evaluation.

The Reliable Digit Span test in chronic pain: classification accuracy in detecting malingered pain-related disability.

This study used criterion groups validation (known-groups design) to examine the classification accuracy of the Reliable Digit Span test (RDS) in a large group of chronic pain patients referred for psychological evaluation. The sample consisted of 612 patients classified into one of six groups based on evidence of malingered pain-related disability (MPRD): No-Incentive, Not MPRD; Incentive-Only, Not MPRD; Indeterminate; Possible MPRD; Probable MPRD; Definite MPRD. A total of 30 college student simulators were also included.

Detection of malingering in mild traumatic brain injury with the Conners' Continuous Performance Test-II.

Classification accuracy for the detection of malingered neurocognitive dysfunction (MND) in mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) is examined for two selected measures from the Conners' Continuous Performance Test-II (CPT-II) using criterion-groups validation. Individual and joint classification accuracies are presented for Omissions and Hit Reaction Time Standard Error across a range of scores comparing mild TBI malingering (n = 27), mild TBI not-malingering (n = 31), and moderate-to-severe (M/S) TBI not-malingering (n = 24) groups. At cutoffs associated with at least 95% specificity in both mild and M/S TBI, sensitivity to MND in mild TBI was 30% for Omissions, 41% for Hit Reaction Time Standard Error, and 44% using both indicators.

Prevalence of malingering in patients with chronic pain referred for psychologic evaluation in a medico-legal context.

Objective: To provide an empirical estimate of the prevalence of malingered disability in patients with chronic pain who have financial incentive to appear disabled.

Design: Retrospective review of cases.

Setting: A private neuropsychologic clinic in a southeastern metropolitan area.

Executive dysfunction in traumatic brain injury: the effects of injury severity and effort on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test.

This study examined the persistent effects of traumatic brain injury (TBI) on Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) performance. Since poor effort can contaminate results in populations with incentive to perform poorly, performance validity was explicitly assessed and controlled for using multiple well-validated cognitive malingering indicators. Participants were 109 patients with mild TBI and 67 patients with moderate-to-severe TBI seen for neuropsychological evaluation at least one year post injury.

Detecting malingered pain-related disability: classification accuracy of the Portland Digit Recognition Test.

This study used criterion groups validation to determine the classification accuracy of the Portland Digit Recognition Test (PDRT) at a range of cutting scores in chronic pain patients undergoing psychological evaluation (n = 318), college student simulators (n = 29), and patients with brain damage (n = 120). PDRT scores decreased and failure rates increased as a function of greater independent evidence of intentional underperformance. There were no differences between patients classified as malingering and college student simulators.

Are the original and second edition of the California Verbal Learning Test equally accurate in detecting malingering?

This two-part study sought to determine the equivalence of the California Verbal Learning Tests (CVLT-1 and CVLT-2) in the detection of malingering in traumatic brain injury (TBI) and chronic pain. Part 1 compared a variety of scores from the two versions in carefully matched patient groups. Part 2 used criterion groups (known-groups) methodology to examine the relative rates of false positive (FP) errors across the two versions.

Using the Wechsler Memory Scale-III to detect malingering in mild traumatic brain injury.

This study examined the classification accuracy of the WMS-III primary indices in the detection of Malingered Neurocognitive Dysfunction (MND) in Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) using a known-groups design. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive power are presented for a range of index scores comparing mild TBI non-malingering (n = 34) and mild TBI malingering (n = 31) groups. A moderate/severe TBI non-malingering (n = 28) and general clinical group (n = 93) are presented to examine specificity in these samples.