Validating the California Verbal Learning Test-Second Edition-Short Form Forced Choice Trial as an Embedded...

Area of Science:

• Neuropsychology
• Cognitive Assessment
• Performance Validity Testing

Background:

• Performance validity tests (PVTs) are essential in neuropsychological evaluations to detect non-credible effort.
• The California Verbal Learning Test-Second Edition-Short Form Forced Choice Recognition Trial (CVLT-2-SF-FC) is an embedded PVT that requires validation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To validate the CVLT-2-SF-FC against a battery of established PVTs.
• To assess the accuracy of the CVLT-2-SF-FC in identifying invalid performance in a veteran sample.

Main Methods:

• Ninety-eight veterans with diagnosed cognitive impairment completed comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations.
• The CVLT-2-SF-FC was administered alongside other PVTs, including the Advanced Clinical Solutions Word Choice Test and the Test of Memory Malingering.
• Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analyses were used to evaluate classification accuracy.

Main Results:

• Cut scores of ≤7 or ≤8 on the CVLT-2-SF-FC demonstrated adequate specificity and accuracy for detecting invalid performance in the total sample.
• The CVLT-2-SF-FC showed acceptable accuracy in differentiating invalid from no neurocognitive disorder (NND) groups (AUCs = 0.73–0.83).
• Accuracy decreased when differentiating invalid from neurocognitive disorder (ND) groups, particularly with the Single Failure classification.

Conclusions:

• The CVLT-2-SF-FC functions as a valid embedded PVT, particularly for identifying invalid performance.
• Tailoring cut-scores to specific clinical groups (e.g., NND vs. ND) is recommended for optimal classification.
• Further research with diverse samples is warranted to explore the CVLT-2-SF-FC's utility across different demographics and cognitive profiles.