Dementia and effort test performance.
Research on the performance of patients with dementia on tests of effort is particularly limited. We examined archival data from 214 non-litigating patients with dementia on 18 effort indices derived from 12 tests (WAIS-III/WAIS-R Digit Span and Vocabulary, Dot Counting Test, Warrington Recognition Memory Test-Words, WMS-III Logical Memory, Rey Word Recognition Memory Test, Finger Tapping, b-Test, Rey 15-Item, Test of Memory Malingering, Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test, and Rey Complex Figure Test). Results indicated that recommended cut-offs for Digit Span indicators (Vocabulary Minus Digit Span and four-digit forward span time score) provided > or =90% specificity across participants, while the majority of other effort tests displayed specificities in the 30-70% range. Analyses of test specificity as a function of Mini Mental Status Examination (MMSE) score and specific dementia diagnosis are provided, as well as adjustments to cut-offs to maintain specificity where feasible.
Dean
Andy C
AC
Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Neuropsychology Department, Torrance, CA 90509, USA. andydean1@msn.com
Victor
Tara L
TL
Boone
Kyle B
KB
Philpott
Linda M
LM
Hess
Ryan A
RA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008306:Malingering / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D055815:Young Adult