Identifier

etd-04092008-154108

Degree

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Psychology

Document Type

Thesis

Abstract

The detection of malingering is an area of research that has received increasing attention in recent decades. Neuropsychologists in particular are often asked to assess the validity of symptoms such as cognitive impairment due to brain injury or toxic chemical exposure. Additionally, given the decision of the U.S. Supreme court in Atkins v. Virginia (2002), incentive to feign mental retardation in order to avoid capital punishment has greatly increased. However, few measures of malingering detection have been thoroughly studied for their applicability to mentally retarded individuals, and for their ability to accurately distinguish between malingerers, normal controls, and individuals with mental retardation (MR). The current study explores the use of the Bender Gestalt Test (BGT), and of the Koppitz and Lacks scoring systems in particular, as a screening device to determine the validity of claimed intellectual disability. Additionally, high- and low-cognitive ability groups were compared on their capacity to successfully malinger on the BGT, the Test of Memory Malingering (TOMM), the Rey Memory for Fifteen Items test (MFIT), and the Rey Dot-Counting test (RDCT). Results showed that high- and low-cognitive ability malingerers were not significantly different in their malingering performances, and both groups performed similarly to effortful responders with mild MR on all measures other than RDCT total errors. Also, of the TOMM, MFIT, and RDCT, only the RDCT did not misclassify high proportions (>30%) of mild MR participants as malingerers.

Date

2008

Document Availability at the Time of Submission

Release the entire work immediately for access worldwide.

Committee Chair

Wm. Drew Gouvier

DOI

10.31390/gradschool_theses.2841

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Psychology Commons

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