Detecting symptom- and test-coached simulators with the test of memory malingering. |
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Authors: | Matthew R Powell Jeffrey D Gfeller Bryan L Hendricks Michael Sharland |
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Institution: | Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA. powell.matthew@mayo.edu |
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Abstract: | The ability of the Test of Memory Malingering (TOMM; Tombaugh, 1996) to detect feigned-memory impairment was explored. The TOMM was administered to three groups: (a) a control group instructed to perform optimally, (b) a symptom-coached group instructed to feign memory problems after being educated about traumatic brain injury symptomatology, and (c) a test-coached group instructed to feign memory problems after being educated about test-taking strategies to avoid detection. The recommended cutoff scores (Tombaugh, 1996) on Trial 2 and the Retention Trial produced overall classification accuracy rates of 96%, with high levels of sensitivity and specificity. Although the symptom-coached group performed more poorly on the TOMM relative to the test-coached group, the test was equally sensitive in detecting suboptimal effort across the different coaching paradigms. |
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