Jj. Sweet et al., Further investigation of traumatic brain injury versus insufficient effortwith the California Verbal Learning Test, ARCH CLIN N, 15(2), 2000, pp. 105-113
The present study replicates and attemps to extend previous research using
the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT) to identify malingerers. Documen
ted moderate and severe traumatic brain injury patients (n = 42) were compa
red with clinical malingerers identified by criteria other than the CVLT (n
= 21), malingering simulators instructed in realistic potential injury seq
uelae (n = 25), and normal controls (n = 21). Results of discriminant funct
ion analyses for high and low base rates are reported, showing similar resu
lts. Also, the four individual cutoff scores (Recognition Hits, Discriminab
ility, Total Words Recalled, Long Delay Cued Recall) from Millis, Putnam, A
dams, and Ricker (1995) were evaluated with these groups. Similar specifici
ty rates were found with all four variables, while sensitivity rates were s
lightly lower than that of Millis. Adjusted cutoffs derived from the new sa
mples resulted in slightly improved overall classification rates. Overall,
present findings support those of Millis et al. (1995) with regard to the u
se of the CVLT in detection of malingering. Exploratory use of Total Instru
ctions and Recognition Hits Compared to Long Delay Free Recall was not prom
ising. Simulators were found to be fairly comparable in performance to actu
al malingerers, affirming their use in malingering research. (C) 2000 Natio
nal Academy of Neuropsychology. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.