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The Myth of High False-Positive Rates on the Word Memory Test in Mild TBI

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Abstract

This study was designed to replicate previous reports of elevated false-positive rates (FPR) on the Word Memory Test (WMT) in patients with mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) and to evaluate previous claims that genuine memory deficits and non-credible responding are conflated on the WMT. Data from a consecutive case sequence of 170 patients with mild TBI referred for neuropsychological assessment were collected. Failure rate on the WMT was compared to that on other performance validity tests (PVTs). The clinical characteristics and neuropsychological profiles of patients who passed and those who failed the WMT and other PVTs were compared. Base rate of failure was the highest on the WMT (44.7%), but comparable to that on other established PVTs (39.4–41.8%). The vast majority of patients (94.7%) who failed the WMT had independent evidence of invalid performance, refuting previous estimates of 20–30% FPR. Failing the WMT was associated with globally lower scores on tests measuring various cognitive domains. The neurocognitive profile of individuals with invalid performance was remarkably consistent across various PVTs. Previously reported FPR of the WMT were not replicated. Failing the WMT typically occurred in the context of failing other PVTs too. Results suggest a common factor behind non-credible responding that is invariant of the psychometric definition of invalid performance. Failure on the WMT should not be discounted based on rational arguments unsubstantiated by objective data. Inferring elevated FPR from high failure rate alone is a fundamental epistemological error.

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Funding

This research was supported by a Collaborative Research Grant from the Faculty of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences at the University of Windsor.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Windsor, 168 Chrysler Hall South, 401 Sunset Ave, Windsor, ON, N9B 3P4, Canada

    Laszlo A. Erdodi, Christina D. Sirianni & Christopher A. Abeare

  2. Green’s Publishing, Kelowna, BC, Canada

    Paul Green

Authors
  1. Laszlo A. Erdodi
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  2. Paul Green
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  3. Christina D. Sirianni
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  4. Christopher A. Abeare
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Correspondence to Laszlo A. Erdodi.

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Relevant ethical guidelines regulating research involving human participants were followed throughout the project. All data collection, storage, and processing were done in compliance with the Helsinki Declaration.

Conflict of Interest

The first and last authors are employed by the University of Windsor. In addition to that, they provide forensic consultation and medicolegal assessments, for which they receive financial compensation. Dr. Green is the author of the WMT, MSVT, and NV-MSVT and the owner of Green’s Publishing. However, the data analysis was performed and interpreted by the other authors.

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Erdodi, L.A., Green, P., Sirianni, C.D. et al. The Myth of High False-Positive Rates on the Word Memory Test in Mild TBI. Psychol. Inj. and Law 12, 155–169 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12207-019-09356-8

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