title: The Medical Symptom Validity Test in the evaluation of Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom soldiers: a preliminary study.
abstract: The clinical utility of the Medical Symptom Validity Test (MSVT) for soldiers returning from service in Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom was preliminarily investigated through retrospective chart review. Results showed that 17%, or 4 of 23, Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom patients at a Polytrauma Network Site (Level 2), performed below cut-offs on the MSVT. On "easy" subtests of the MSVT, the group of individuals who failed the MSVT performed significantly worse than the group of individuals who passed. However, there were no significant group differences on the "hard" subtests of the MSVT. When the profiles of individuals who failed the MSVT were examined, none of them met the criteria for the Dementia Profile. These preliminary findings and additional test data supported the conclusion that participants who failed the MSVT were exhibiting diminished symptom validity, suggesting that the specificity of the MSVT was 100%.
authors.affiliation: Richard L. Roudebush Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 1481 W. 10th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA.
authors.forename: Kriscinda A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Whitney
authors.forename: Polly H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Shepard
authors.forename: Amanda L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Jeremy J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Kenneth M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Adams
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D055826:Afghan Campaign 2001-; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D054542:Iraq War, 2003-2011; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies