Related Experiment Videos
Relationships between eight measures of suspect effort.
Nathaniel W Nelson1, Kyle Boone, Alvin Dueck
1Fuller Theological Seminary, School of Psychology, Pasadena, CA, USA. gnatterman@cp.fuller.edu
The Clinical Neuropsychologist
|September 19, 2003
Summary
This study examined eight effort tests used in neuropsychological assessments. Results show these tests generally provide unique information, aiding credibility evaluations in patients with suspected noncredible symptoms.
Area of Science:
- Neuropsychology
- Forensic Psychology
Background:
- Multiple measures are recommended for assessing suspect effort in neuropsychological evaluations.
- The independence of these measures has not been previously established.
- Correlated measures may not offer unique information for credibility assessment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationships between eight common effort measures.
- To determine if these measures provide redundant or independent data.
- To inform the selection of effort tests in clinical and forensic settings.
Main Methods:
- Examined correlations between eight effort measures (Rey 15-item, Rey Dot Counting, Rey Word Recognition, RAVLT recognition, Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure, Digit Span, WRMT-Words, 'b' Test).
- Analyzed data from 105 patients exhibiting noncredible symptoms in litigation or disability contexts.
- Assessed both summary scores and individual test indices (response time, recall, recognition, false positives).
Main Results:
- Modest to moderate correlations were found between most test summary scores.
- Only Digit Span and Rey Dot Counting shared over 50% score variance.
- Moderate correlations between individual indices suggest potential use of specific noncredible performance strategies.
Conclusions:
- The eight effort measures generally provide nonredundant data.
- Concurrent use of these tests offers valuable, independent information for credibility assessment.
- Findings support the utility of multiple, diverse effort measures in neuropsychological evaluations.