The utility of the post-concussive symptom questionnaire

Area of Science:

• Neuropsychology
• Psychometrics

Background:

• Assessing symptom validity is crucial in neuropsychological evaluations.
• Brief self-report measures are needed for efficient screening.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the Post-concussive Symptom Questionnaire (PCSQ) and its short forms for measuring symptom validity.
• To determine the construct validity and predictive utility of PCSQ in a clinical sample.

Main Methods:

• 112 individuals referred for neuropsychological evaluation completed the PCSQ, cognitive tests, and symptom validity measures (MMPI-2 FBS, RBS).
• Construct validity was assessed via correlations between PCSQ, cognitive performance, distress, and symptom validity measures.
• Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were used to determine predictive value and optimal cutoff scores.

Main Results:

• Self-report symptom validity measures explained the most variance in relation to PCSQ scores.
• PCSQ forms demonstrated significant predictive value in detecting over-reporting on the MMPI-2 FBS and RBS.
• Optimal cutoff scores were established, with calculated sensitivity, specificity, and predictive powers.

Conclusions:

• The PCSQ and its short forms are valuable tools for assessing symptom validity in neuropsychological evaluations.
• PCSQ effectively aids in identifying potential over-reporting of symptoms.
• These findings support the use of PCSQ as a brief, reliable measure in clinical settings.