title: Reaction time as an indicator of insufficient effort: Development and validation of an embedded performance validity parameter.
abstract: Subnormal performance in attention tasks may result from various sources including lack of effort. In this report, the derivation and validation of a performance validity parameter for reaction time is described, using a set of malingering-indices ("Slick-criteria"), and 3 independent samples of participants (total n =893). The Slick-criteria yield an estimate of the probability of malingering based on the presence of an external incentive, evidence from neuropsychological testing, from self-report and clinical data. In study (1) a validity parameter is derived using reaction time data of a sample, composed of inpatients with recent severe brain lesions not involved in litigation and of litigants with and without brain lesion. In study (2) the validity parameter is tested in an independent sample of litigants. In study (3) the parameter is applied to an independent sample comprising cooperative and non-cooperative testees. Logistic regression analysis led to a derived validity parameter based on median reaction time and standard deviation. It performed satisfactorily in studies (2) and (3) (study 2 sensitivity=0.94, specificity=1.00; study 3 sensitivity=0.79, specificity=0.87). The findings suggest that median reaction time and standard deviation may be used as indicators of negative response bias.
authors.affiliation: Medizinisches Begutachtungsinstitut Tübingen, Doblerstr. 17, D-72074 Tübingen, Germany; University of Tübingen, Dept. of Psychiatry, Calwerstr. 14, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany. Electronic address: stevens@med-begutachtung.de.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stevens
authors.affiliation: Medizinisches Begutachtungsinstitut Tübingen, Doblerstr. 17, D-72074 Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bahlo
authors.affiliation: Medizinisches Begutachtungsinstitut Tübingen, Doblerstr. 17, D-72074 Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Licha
authors.affiliation: Medizinisches Begutachtungsinstitut Tübingen, Doblerstr. 17, D-72074 Tübingen, Germany; University of Tübingen, Dept. of Psychiatry, Calwerstr. 14, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liske
authors.affiliation: Medizinisches Begutachtungsinstitut Tübingen, Doblerstr. 17, D-72074 Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vossler-Thies
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008306:Malingering / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D055815:Young Adult