Exploring the Accuracy and Utility of the Rey Fifteen Item Test (RMT) with Recognition Trial in a Forensic Psychiatric Population

Abstract

The Rey Fifteen Item Test (RMT; Rey, 1941) is one of the most commonly used measures to assess the validity of cognitive and memory deficits. A recent recognition trial has been developed to enhance sensitivity of the RMT (Boone, Salazar, Lu, Warner-Chacon, & Razani, 2002). The RMT was administered to 116 forensic patients hospitalized for restoration of competency to stand trial who were classified by treating psychiatrists as “genuine” or “feigning,” and 36 community simulators. Consistent with previous research, the recognition trial increased the sensitivity of the RMT from 44% to 64% among suspected feigners, while decreasing specificity from 82.4% to 74.7% among genuine patients. The optimal cut score for maximizing specificity was 11 in this sample, while the optimal cut score for enhancing the utility of the RMT as a screening measure was found to be 24. Implications of using the RMT with recognition trial as a screening tool in forensic psychiatric assessment are discussed.

Keywords:

• Rey Fifteen Item Test (RMT)
• feigning
• malingering
• effort
• competency