Factors Influencing the Face Validity of Effort Tests: Timing of Warning and Feedback

The assessment of client effort during neuropsychological evaluation is of high importance. Two experiments were designed to assess factors that may influence effort testing during neuropsychological assessment. Participants for both experiments were undergraduate students without a history of neurological conditions, mental health concerns, or current problems with alcohol or drug use. The goal of Experiment 1 was to determine whether the timing of a warning that some tests may detect faking would influence (the face validity of and performance on) effort and standard neuropsychological measures. All participants were administered the Test of Memory Malingering (TOMM) and Memory for Complex Pictures (MCP) as well as a brief battery composed of standard cognitive measures. Following administration of all tests, participants completed a questionnaire assessing their perception of the purpose of each measure. Results from Experiment 1 reveal that Early Warning CBIS endorsed lower face validity for effort measures than the other three groups. Performance on the effort measures was not significantly different across groups. Experiment 2 examined the role of visual feedback on individuals’ performance on effort testing. Results from Experiment 2 revealed that the use of visual feedback does not influence effort test performance.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts (MA)

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Montana

Year

2010

Author dc:creator

• Trontel, Haley Gail

• assessment
• effort
• face validity
• feedback
• malingering
• neuropsychology

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/428

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarworks.umt.edu:etd-1447