title: Associations between Symptom Validity Test failure and scores on the MMPI-2-RF validity and substantive scales.
abstract: This study examined the association between Symptom Validity Test (SVT) failure and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF; Ben-Porath & Tellegen, 2008), in the Forensic Disability Claimant samples described in the MMPI-2-RF Technical Manual (Tellegen & Ben-Porath, 2008 a, 2008b). SVTs used included the Word Memory Test (Green, 2003), the Computerized Assessment of Response Bias (Allen, Conder, Green, & Cox, 1997), the Medical Symptom Validity Test (Green, 2004), and the Test of Memory Malingering (Tombaugh, 1996). SVT failure was associated with significant elevations throughout the MMPI-2-RF overreporting validity scales and substantive scales. Pairwise contrasts between groups failing 0 and 3 SVTs revealed predominantly large effect sizes for the overreporting validity scales (d = 0.78-1.11), and many of the substantive scales, including the Cognitive Complaints (COG) scale. Results of this study demonstrate an association between SVT performance and elevated scores on the MMPI-2-RF. These results suggest that exaggeration of cognitive symptoms as demonstrated by SVT failure is also associated with overreported emotional, somatic, and neurocognitive complaints on the MMPI-2-RF.
authors.affiliation: Neurobehavioural Associates, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. rgervais@shaw.ca
authors.forename: Roger O
authors.initials: RO
authors.lastname: Gervais
authors.forename: Dustin B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Wygant
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sellbom
authors.forename: Yossef S
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Ben-Porath
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008950:MMPI; D008297:Male; D008306:Malingering / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D008568:Memory; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010551:Personality; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results