The Word Completion Memory Test (WCMT): a new test to detect malingered memory deficits

In recent years, much research has focused on developing tests to detect ma lingering. A drawback of existing tests is their poor ability to detect mal ingerers possessing more "sophisticated" knowledge of neuropsychological de ficits. The current study presents preliminary validation data on a new mea sure, the Word Completion Memory Test (WCMT), which is the first malingerin g test to utilize a sophisticated coaching methodology in its development. The WCMT was administered to control participants, memory-impaired patients , and coached simulators. The coached simulators were provided with specifi c information about and examples of memory deficits commonly experienced fo llowing closed head injury (CHI; e.g., anterograde vs. retrograde amnesia). They also read a detailed scenario describing the lifestyle and motivation s likely experienced by CHI litigants, and then practiced their roles by ta king a quiz about their deficits. Results showed that 93% of coached simula tors and 100% of control and memory-impaired participants were correctly cl assified by the WCMT. (C) 2001 National Academy of Neuropsychology. Publish ed by Elsevier Science Ltd.