Assessment of Malingered Neuropsychological Deficits

by Glenn J. Larrabee

Overview

Written specifically for the clinical neuropsychologist who does forensic consultations, the book is a comprehensive review by experts of the procedures available to evaluate malingered neuropsychological deficits. It discusses tools for detecting atypical patterns of performance on standard clinical tests as well as malingering on measures of perception and sensorimotor function, of attention, processing speed, and memory, and of executive function. The underpinnings of the forensic neuropsychology enterprise are presented in chapters on definitions of malingering, research designs for its evaluation, data on the frequency with which malingering occurs, diagnostic classification statistics, symptom validity tests that do not depend on forced choice testing, and those that do. Guidance on assessing exaggerated psychiatric symptoms; exaggerated medical symptoms and injuries; and detecting malingering during the neurological exam is also included. Of particular note is a chapter devoted to the topic of coaching. The book closes with a review of the diagnostic criteria for malingering and looks to the future with evidence-based proposals for improving the criteria.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780199727605
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	07/16/2007
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	4 MB

About the Author

Glenn J. Larrabee, Ph.D. is currently engaged in the full-time independent practice of clinical neuropsychology, with an emphasis in forensic neuropsychology, in Sarasota, Florida. He is board-certified in Clinical Neuropsychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) and a licensed psychologist in Florida and Texas. He is a fellow of both the National Academy of Neuropsychology, and of Division 40 of the American Psychological Association, and serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, The Clinical Neuropsychologist, Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, and Aging, Neuropsychology and Cognition. Dr. Larrabee has authored or co-authored numerous papers covering topics such as memory assessment, age-related cognitive change, Alzheimer's disease, mild traumatic brain injury, forensic neuropsychology, and malingering. He is the co-author, with Dr. Donald E. Trahan, of the Continuous Visual Memory Test, and the editor of Forensic Neuropsychology: A Scientific Approach (Oxford University Press, 2011). He is also the 2015 winner of APA's Award for Distinguished Professional Contributions to Independent Practice.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction: Malingering, Research Designs, Base Rates, and Plan of the Book, Glenn J. Larrabee2. Diagnostic Classification Statistics and Diagnositc Validity of Malingering Assessment, Glenn J. Larrabee and David T. R. Berry3. Non-forced Choice Effort Measures, Kyle B. Boone and Po H. Lu4. Forced Choice Recognition Tests of Malingering, Christopher L. Grote and Julie N. Hook5. Identification of Malingering By Pattern Analysis on Neuropsychological Tests, Glenn J. Larrabee6. Motor, Sensory, and Perceptual-Motor Pseudoabnormalities, Manfred F. Greiffenstein7. Performance on Standard Attention, Memory, and Psychomotor Speed Tasks as Indicators of Malingering, Julie A. Suhr and Joseph Barrash8. Detection of Cognitive Malingering with Tests of Executive Function, Kevin W. Greve and Kevin J. Bianchini9. Detection of Feigned Psychiatric Symptoms During Forensic Neuropsychological Examinations, David T. R. Berry and Lindsey J. Schipper10. Evaluation of Exaggerated Health and Injury Symptomatology, Glenn J. Larrabee11. Coaching and Malingering: A Review, Julie A. Suhr and John Gunstad12. Features of the neurological evaluation that suggest non-credible performance, James W. Albers and Randolph Schiffer13. Refining Diagnostic Criteria for Malingering, Glenn J. Larrabee, Manfred F. Greiffenstein, Kevin W. Greve, and Kevin J. Bianchini

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Gary B Kaniuk, PsyD (Cermak Health Services)
Description: This book discusses how best to assess malingering neuropsychological deficits, including symptom validity tests (SVT's) and measures of basic neuropsychological abilities. The editor notes malingering is the most widely researched topic in forensic neuropsychology in the last decade.
Purpose: According to the editor, the book "is designed to fulfill the need for a comprehensive review of the procedures available for assessment of malingered neuropsychological deficits," presenting "tools for detecting atypical patterns of performance on standard clinical tests as well as malingering on measures of perception and sensorimotor function, of attention, processing speed, and memory, and of executive function."
Audience: Although intended for clinical neuropsychologists who do forensic consultations, the book would also be beneficial for graduate students in clinical psychology, psychiatry, and social work.
Features: This well written book is full of research supporting the findings and showing how robust (or not) certain procedures are in detecting malingering. Numerous tables and some case vignettes help elucidate the material. In the chapter that reviews coaching and malingering, the authors discuss how certain motivated clients use information to help them appear more impaired than they actually are such as repeated neuropsychological evaluations, contact with physicians and psychologists, and/or access to the Internet, where they learn how to present a credible symptom cluster. The only barrier to getting the most out of this book is that readers probably need a background in statistical analysis and research design in order to fully understand the research results.
Assessment: Given the explosion of civil litigation and applications for Social Security disability, there is a need for cutting-edge information to guide those conducting these very important evaluations. This book covers the topic well.

Doody's Review Service

"Given the explosion of civil litigation and applications for Social Security disability, there is a need for cutting-edge information to guide those conducting these very important evaluations. This book covers the topic well."—Doody's

"This is an excellent resource for neuropsychologists who wrestle with confirming or ruling out this difficult diagnosis...A well written and authoritative book that contains a wealth of practical information for clinicians as well as substantial 'grist' for the researchers' mill. The text is highly recommended for neuropsychologists who engage in professional activities at any point along the science-practice continuum."—PsycCRITIQUES

"Larrabee's Assessment of Malingered Neuropsychological Deficits sets the new gold standard in this genre, at least until the second edition of this book is published."—Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society

"Larrabees book is quite timely...provides a thorough and insightful review of a topic that is critically important to neuropsychologists."—Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology

"...an excellent resource... For those clinicians interested in research in the field of neuropsychological malingering this text is a must. Neuropsychologists who seek to perform evaluations will obviously use measures of cognition in their practice. The need to include measures of malingering is also clear. So, therefore, is the need to include this wonderful text on a shelf in your office, in a location where it can be easily accessed."—The Clinical Neuropsychologist

"... provides useful tables and cutoff scores for many of the widely-used specialized malingering measures...recommended for serious neuropsychological practitioners."
— Laurence Miller, PhD

From the Publisher