A known-groups evaluation of the response bias scale in a neuropsychological setting.
We evaluated the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Second Edition (MMPI-2) Response Bias Scale (RBS). Archival data from 83 individuals who were referred for neuropsychological assessment with no formal diagnosis (n = 10), following a known or suspected traumatic brain injury (n = 36), with a psychiatric diagnosis (n = 20), or with a history of both trauma and a psychiatric condition (n = 17) were retrieved. The criteria for malingered neurocognitive dysfunction (MNCD) were applied, and two groups of participants were formed: poor effort (n = 15) and genuine responders (n = 68). Consistent with previous studies, the difference in scores between groups was greatest for the RBS (d = 2.44), followed by two established MMPI-2 validity scales, F (d = 0.25) and K (d = 0.23), and strong significant correlations were found between RBS and F (rs = .48) and RBS and K (r = -.41). When MNCD group membership was predicted using logistic regression, the RBS failed to add incrementally to F. In a separate regression to predict group membership, K added significantly to the RBS. Receiver-operating curve analysis revealed a nonsignificant area under the curve statistic, and at the ideal cutoff in this sample of >12, specificity was moderate (.79), sensitivity was low (.47), and positive and negative predictive power values at a 13% base rate were .25 and .91, respectively. Although the results of this study require replication because of a number of limitations, this study has made an important first attempt to report RBS classification accuracy statistics for predicting poor effort at a range of base rates.
Clinical Neuropsychology Research Group, School of Psychology & Counseling and Institute of Health & Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia. karen.sullivan@qut.edu.au
Karen A
KA
Sullivan
Cameron D
CD
Elliott
Rael T
RT
Lange
Deborah S
DS
Anderson
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015982:Bias; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000523:psychology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008950:MMPI; D008297:Male; D008306:Malingering / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D055815:Young Adult