Effects of incentive and preparation time on performance and classification accuracy of standard and malingering-specific memory tests.
The effects of incentive and preparation on performance and classification accuracy of standard and malingering-specific tests were investigated in a simulation study using a 2 (no incentive vs. a $20 incentive) x 2 (immediate vs. delayed preparation) factorial design. Eighty undergraduate students and 15 individuals with traumatic brain injury were administered standard (viz., Digit Span and Visual Memory Span from the WMS-R) and malingering-specific (viz., the Rey 15-Item Memory Test and the Multi-Digit Memory Test) memory tests. Preparation time was found to have a significant effect on performance and classification accuracy on a number of these tests, but incentive was found to have a significant effect on the performance but not the classification accuracy of one test (viz., the Multi-Digit Memory Test). These findings suggest that extra-test variables such as incentive and preparation time should be taken into consideration in evaluating the utility of standard and malingering-specific memory tests in detecting malingering.
School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Nathan, Qld. 4111, Australia. d.shum@griffith.edu.au
David H K
DH
Shum
John G
JG
O'Gorman
Arlene
A
Alpar
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D020208:Brain Injury, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008306:Malingering / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012016:Reference Values; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013997:Time Factors