title: Performance on the Test of Memory Malingering in children with neurological conditions.
abstract: Despite increasing interest in the use of performance validity tests with youth, relatively little is known about how children and adolescents with neurological diagnoses perform on these measures. The purpose of this study was to examine performance on the Test of Memory Malingering (TOMM) in a general pediatric neurologic sample. Data were obtained from 266 consecutive patients (mean age = 13.0, SD = 3.7, range = 5-18) referred for a neuropsychological assessment in a tertiary care pediatric hospital. As part of a broader neuropsychological battery, patients were administered the TOMM. In this sample, 94% of children passed the TOMM. Pass rate was 87% for 5-7 year-olds but was ≥ 90% for all other ages. Children with a history of stroke had the lowest pass rate (86%), with other diagnostic groups scoring ≥ 90%, including epilepsy, traumatic brain injury, and hydrocephalus. Lower TOMM performance was related to slower processing speed and weaker memory performance. The results support using the TOMM with children and adolescents who have neurological diagnoses. Caution may still be warranted when interpreting scores in those who are younger and/or who have more significant cognitive difficulty.
authors.affiliation: a Neurosciences Department (Brain Injury and Rehabilitation Programs), Alberta Children's Hospital , Calgary , AB , Canada.
authors.forename: Danielle M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Ploetz
authors.affiliation: a Neurosciences Department (Brain Injury and Rehabilitation Programs), Alberta Children's Hospital , Calgary , AB , Canada.|b Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program, Chicago School of Professional Psychology , Chicago , IL , USA.
authors.forename: Anya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mazur-Mosiewicz
authors.affiliation: c Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Colorado School of Medicine & Children's Hospital Colorado , Aurora , CO , USA.
authors.forename: Michael W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Kirkwood
authors.affiliation: a Neurosciences Department (Brain Injury and Rehabilitation Programs), Alberta Children's Hospital , Calgary , AB , Canada.|d Copeman Healthcare Centre , Calgary , AB , Canada.|e Departments of Paediatrics and Clinical Neurosciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary , Calgary , AB , Canada.
authors.forename: Elisabeth M S
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Sherman
authors.affiliation: a Neurosciences Department (Brain Injury and Rehabilitation Programs), Alberta Children's Hospital , Calgary , AB , Canada.|e Departments of Paediatrics and Clinical Neurosciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary , Calgary , AB , Canada.|f Behaviour and the Developing Brain Program, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute , Calgary , AB , Canada.
authors.forename: Brian L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Brooks
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008306:Malingering / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008568:Memory; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D020521:Stroke
keywords: Adolescents; Children; Effort Testing; Malingering; Performance validity; Symptom Validity