Relationships Between Eight Measures of Suspect Effort

Abstract

Previous studies have recommended that multiple measures be employed concurrently to provide converging evidence regarding the presence of suspect effort during neuropsychological assessment. However, if the tests are highly correlated they do not represent independent sources of information. To date, no study has examined correspondence between effort tests. The present study assessed the relationships between eight measures which can be used to assess effort (Rey 15-item, Rey Dot Counting Test, Rey Word Recognition Test, RAVLT recognition trial, Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test effort equation, Digit Span, Warrington Recognition Memory Test-Words, and “b” Test) in a sample of 105 patients in litigation or attempting to obtain/maintain disability compensation and who displayed noncredible symptoms based on psychometric performance and behavioral criteria. Modest to moderate correlations were observed between test summary scores with only two measures sharing more than 50% score variance (Digit Span and Dot Counting). Moderate correlations were also observed between individual test scores reflecting indices of response time, free recall, recognition, and false positive errors, providing possible evidence that patients may use specific strategies when producing noncredible performances. Overall the results suggest that the use of these various tests generally provides nonredundant data regarding patient credibility in neuropsychological evaluations.