title: Are Self-Ratings of Functional Difficulties Objective or Subjective?
abstract: In this study, we compared objective neuropsychological data using the Meyers Neuropsychological Battery (MNB; Meyers & Rohling, 2004 ) and self-report measures of emotional distress using the Symptom Checklist 90-Revised (SCL-90-R; Derogatis, 1994 ) with self-ratings of functional difficulties as measured by the Patient Competency Rating Scale (PCRS; Prigatano, 1986 ). The results showed a high correlation between the PCRS and scales on the SCL-90-R (r = .65), whereas correlation with the overall test battery mean of the MNB was quite small (r = .18). Our results indicate that self-report of cognitive difficulties is more related to current emotional distress than to objective measures. Therefore, any diagnostic considerations that rely on self-report need to be tempered by considerations of current emotional status. This has implications for diagnoses such as posttraumatic stress disorder and other diagnoses that rely on self-report as a source of diagnostic information.
authors: a Department of Psychology , Brigham Young University Hawaii , Laie , Hawaii.
authors: Ronald Mellado
authors: RM
authors: Miller
authors: a Department of Psychology , Brigham Young University Hawaii , Laie , Hawaii.
authors: Nathan A
authors: NA
authors: Haws
authors: a Department of Psychology , Brigham Young University Hawaii , Laie , Hawaii.
authors: Jason L
authors: JL
authors: Murphy-Tafiti
authors: a Department of Psychology , Brigham Young University Hawaii , Laie , Hawaii.
authors: Carlyn D
authors: CD
authors: Hubner
authors: a Department of Psychology , Brigham Young University Hawaii , Laie , Hawaii.
authors: Thomas D
authors: TD
authors: Curtis
authors: a Department of Psychology , Brigham Young University Hawaii , Laie , Hawaii.
authors: Zachary W
authors: ZW
authors: Rupp
authors: a Department of Psychology , Brigham Young University Hawaii , Laie , Hawaii.
authors: Taylor A
authors: TA
authors: Smart
authors: a Department of Psychology , Brigham Young University Hawaii , Laie , Hawaii.
authors: Lisa M
authors: LM
authors: Thompson
keywords: diagnosis; neuropsychology; tests