Performance Validity and Effort Indicators Flashcards

Why is a WAIS-IV score far below chance on a forced-choice task considered the strongest evidence of feigning?

Answer: It shows the examinee had knowledge of the correct answers and avoided them

Performing well below chance requires recognizing the correct answers in order to avoid them, which shows intentional underperformance.

Which factor is LEAST likely to explain clear PVT failure on its own?

Answer: Mild depression

Research shows that mild-to-moderate depression usually does not cause PVT failure at standard cutoffs.

When reporting PVT failure in a WAIS-IV evaluation, what should the clinician do?

Answer: State that the ability scores may not be valid and avoid interpreting them as true deficits

The report should state that the results are invalid and should not be used to show true impairment.

A clinician sees variable effort: PVTs are passed in the morning but failed in the afternoon. What is the best interpretation?

Answer: Effort can vary within a session, so validity should be judged for each part of testing

Effort can change over time, which is why ongoing validity checks are recommended through the whole evaluation.

Which embedded indicator is drawn from WAIS-IV processing speed performance?

Answer: Coding age-corrected scaled score at a low cutoff

Very low Coding scaled scores have been studied as embedded indicators of possible noncredible effort.

Why is a cutoff with 90% specificity still risky when the base rate of noncredible effort is very low?

Answer: Because most positive results will then be false positives

When the base rate is low, positive predictive value drops, so many failures will come from credible examinees.

Which statement best describes the National Academy of Neuropsychology and AACN position on validity testing?

Answer: It is a medically necessary part of neuropsychological evaluations, especially when secondary gain is possible

Both NAN (2005) and AACN (2009, updated 2021) state that symptom and performance validity assessment is a necessary part of evaluations.