تمارض در RAVLT: قسمت دوم. استراتژی های تشخیص

In this study two potential indices of malingering derived from the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) were evaluated as a means of detecting malingering. These were indices based on discrepancies between recognition–recall scores and differences in the serial position effect (SPE). Sixty undergraduate students were randomly assigned to one of four conditions: malingerers, malingerers-with-warning, warning-only, and control. Incentives were offered to participants in all conditions to encourage faking in a believable manner (malingering conditions), or to encourage optimal performance (nonmalingering conditions). Two predictions were made. First, it was predicted that the serial position curve for subjects in malingering conditions would show suppression of primacy effects relative to nonmalingerers. Second, it was predicted that recall would be better than recognition for subjects in malingering conditions compared to nonmalingering conditions. The utility of these indices was also explored in the context of providing subjects' with warnings regarding use of methods to detect malingering. Results indicated that both indices failed to reliably differentiate between malingerers and nonmalingerers, and warnings failed to modify participants' behaviour.

There is a growing body of literature reflecting attempts to identify and improve malingering detection strategies in a neuropsychological context (see Heubrock & Petermann, 1998 for a recent review). For example, methods of detection that have been investigated previously include attempts to identify discrepancies in information provided at interview, during testing, and through observation, as well as attempts to examine test scores to determine the presence of atypical patterns of performance Haines & Norris, 1995 and Rogers et al., 1993. Atypical patterns of performance that have been investigated for their potential to distinguish malingerers from nonmalingerers include below-chance performance and performance that deviates from patterns produced by reliable cognitive phenomenon (e.g., absence of priming effects, serial position effects (SPEs), or higher rates of recall than recognition on memory tasks). This paper focuses on the absence of SPEs and atypical discrepancies between recognition–recall as a means of detecting malingering.