The validity of the test of memory malingering (TOMM) with deaf individuals

Abstract

Objective

Administration of performance validity tests (PVT) during neuropsychological assessments is standard practice, with the Test of Memory Malingering (TOMM) being a commonly used measure. The TOMM has been well validated in hearing populations with various medical and psychiatric backgrounds. A major gap in the literature is the use of the TOMM amongst culturally Deaf individuals who use American Sign Language (ASL) as their first and preferred language. The purpose of this study was to explore the use of the TOMM with this population to determine if there may be differences related to the use of semantic knowledge and recall using signs rather than spoken phonemes.

Method

This study recruited 30 culturally Deaf, community-dwelling adults, who self-reported that they were not involved in litigation ordisability claims. In addition to the TOMM, participants were screened for cognitive ability using non-verbal components of the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence, Second Edition (WASI-II) and the Mini Mental State Examination: ASL Version (MMSE:ASL).

Results

Nonverbal intelligence for this sample was within the average range of ability. No participants scored lower than the standard cut-off score for Trial 2 or the Retention Trial on the TOMM (≤44 raw score to indicate invalid responding). Trial 1 performances ranged from 44 to 50, Trial 2 performances ranged from 49 to 50, and Retention performances ranged from 49 to 50.

Conclusion

These results support the use of the same standard cut-off scores established for hearing individuals in culturally Deaf individuals who use ASL.

Keywords:

• Neuropsychology
• performance validity tests
• TOMM
• malingering
• deaf
• American sign language

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the participants in this study. The authors would also like to thank Ms. Angela Core for her professional interpretation skills.

Disclosure statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported in part by a research grant from King’s University College at Western University. This study was presented at The 7^th Annual Interdisciplinary Conference in Psychology, May, 2018, Ottawa, Ontario.