Effort testing in schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder: validity indicator profile and test of memory malingering performance characteristics.

While the Validity Indicator Profile (VIP) and the Test of Memory Malingering (TOMM) are designed to limit the influence of actual cognitive impairment on successful performance, the extent to which cognitive dysfunction does play a role in the assessment of effort should be verified in distinct clinical groups. To date, little research has been conducted on VIP performance in individuals diagnosed with a psychotic disorder. Fifty-four patients with either schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were administered the VIP, TOMM, Short Test of Mental Status, and the Wide Range Achievement Test-4 Reading subtest.

A framework for mental health consumers to evaluate service provision.

Objectives: This paper outlines a proposed framework including values, principles and steps, developed by consumers, to evaluate mental health services from a consumer's perspective.

Method: A research team consisting of consumer researchers, established academics and students developed the framework. The team had already conducted qualitative research with consumers of mental health services.

Worry and use of coping strategies among older and younger adults.

Eighty four adults over age 64 were compared with 110 college students on two measures of worry and on their methods of coping with worry. Results indicated that there were no differences in overall worry between the two groups, as measured by the Worry Scale for Older Adults--Revised, but on the individual subscales of health, family concerns, and world issues older adults expressed significantly more worries than younger adults. On the Penn State Worry Questionnaire, which measures a general, trait-like tendency to worry, younger adults reported significantly more worry than did the older adults.