Date of Award

1994

Publication Type

Master Thesis

Degree Name

M.A.

Department

Psychology

Keywords

Psychology, Clinical.

Supervisor

Shore, Doug,

Rights

info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess

Abstract

This study explored the use of a test battery to detect simulated memory impairment. Undergraduate students were asked to perform as well as they could on a battery of malingering tests and other clinical memory tests. The same subjects were tested a week later. In the second session, 11 subjects were instructed to perform as well as they could (control group C2). The other 44 subjects were randomly assigned to one of four malingering conditions made up of factorial combinations of two independent variables, Incentive and Information. Subjects who received Monetary Incentive instructions played the role of a character who was motivated to appear impaired in order to obtain a financial settlement. The Rehabilitation Incentive involved the role of a person who attempted to exaggerate a memory deficit in order to be accepted into a rehabilitation program. Informed malingerers were provided with information about the test performance characteristics of people with memory disorders. Analysis of the repeated measures design with two between-subjects variables (Incentive and Information) and one within-subjects variable (Time) showed a significant overall effect of malingering instructions on most test performance variables. In addition, informed subjects generally performed above the level of uninformed subjects. However, no differences were found between subjects malingering for monetary or rehabilitation incentive. Examination of specific test variables revealed that a cutoff score of 90% correct on the modified Portland Digit Recognition Test (PDRT; a form of symptom validity testing) correctly identified 93% of all malingerers (95% of uninformed and 91% of informed). Only 4% of control subjects in Session A scored below this cutoff. In contrast, a cutoff score of 9 on the popular 15-Item Memory Test misidentified no control subjects, but correctly classified only 23% of all malingerers (27% of uninformed). (Abstract shortened by UMI.)Dept. of Psychology. Paper copy at Leddy Library: Theses & Major Papers - Basement, West Bldg. / Call Number: Thesis1993 .M536. Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 33-04, page: 1344. Supervisor: Doug Shore. Thesis (M.A.)--University of Windsor (Canada), 1994.

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