title: Base rate of performance invalidity among non-clinical undergraduate research participants.
abstract: Neuropsychological research frequently uses non-clinical undergraduate participants to evaluate neuropsychological tests. However, a recent study by An and colleagues (2012, Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 27, 849-857) called into question that the extent to which the interpretation of these participants' performance on neuropsychological tests is valid. This study found that in a sample of 36 participants, 55.6% exhibited performance invalidity at an initial session and 30.8% exhibited performance invalidity at a follow-up session. The current study attempted to replicate these findings in a larger, more representative sample using a more rigorous methodology. Archival data from 133 non-clinical undergraduate research participants were analyzed. Participants were classified as performance invalid if they failed any one PVT. In the current sample, only 2.26% of participants exhibited performance invalidity. Thus, concerns regarding insufficient effort and performance invalidity when using undergraduate research participants appear to be overstated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY, USA grahammse@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Graham M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Silk-Eglit
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Jessica H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Stenclik
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, CO, USA.
authors.forename: Brandon E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Gavett
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, CO, USA.
authors.forename: Jason W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.affiliation: Albany Neuropsychological Associates, Albany, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Julie K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Lynch
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY, USA Albany Neuropsychological Associates, Albany, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Mccaffrey
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008306:Malingering / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008568:Memory; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests
keywords: Malingering; Symptom validity testing