- Email: [email protected]
Gender and hormonal influences on spatial and verbal skills
22
Abstractsfrom the 17thAnnualMeeting
cognitiveimpairmentfor analyses(RanchoV and VI, n = 8 and RanchoVII and VIII, n = 23), As predicted,resultsof a split-plotANOVAshowedlongerresponsetimesduringcategory determination(M = 6.68 sec.) Than during categorymaintenancephases (M= 2.80 sec.), regardless of level of cognitive impairment,p < .001. For more severely cognitively impairedindividuals,therewereno majordifferencesin thepatternof correlationswithother neuropsychologicaltest scores for category determinationand category maintenanceresponsetimes. The pattern of correlationsindicatedthat both these WCST measureswere associated with dii%cultyin basic attention, WCSTcd-WMS-Rdigit span r = – .327, WCSTcm-WMS-Rdigit spanr = –.249, WCSTcd-CVLTrail 1 r = –.728, WCSTcm-CVLT Trail 1 r = –.474. For less severelycognitivelyimpairedindividuals,responsetimesduring categorydeterminationwereonlyassociatedwiththe abilityto monitorresponses(WCSTcdCVLTperseverationsr = –.413) while responsetimes during categorymaintenancewere only associatedwith cognitiveorganizationalability(WCSTcm-CVLTsemanticclusteringr = .328). The implicationsof these findings for neuropsychologicalpractice and future researchare discussed. CutIan,S. L., Long, C. J., & Collins,L. F. The Ability of Reaction Time to Detect CognitiveDecline in Individuals with Normal NeuropsychologicalTestPerJorrnance. Previous studieshave demonstrateda moderatelystrong relationshipbetween the performance of individualson reaction time tasks and on neuropsychologicaltest batteries.For example,reactiontime scoreshavebeen used to successfullyclassify a majorityof individuals as impairedor not impairedaccordingto a modifiedform of the HalsteadImpairment Index. However, studies of this type have also identifiedseveral participantswho were misclassifiedby reactiontimeas to neuropsychologicalstatus.This studyexaminedone type of misclassification,the false positives(peoplenot impairedaccordingto the Impairment Index but classified as impairedby reaction time). The hypothesestested were: (1) that factorsotherthan levelof cognitivefunctioning— specificallyemotionalfactors— have an effect on reactiontime and had diminishedthe performanceof false positives,and (2) that false positiveshad suffereda changein cognitivefunctioningfrom a premorbidlysuperior levelto the normalrangeand that this decrementhad been detectedby reactiontime.A data basecontainingneuropsychological test scoreswasexamined,andtwo groupsof participants were identified.The first group consistedof individualswith impaired performanceon reaction time and normal scores on a modified ImpairmentIndex (false positives).The second group includedindividualswho were nonimpairedon both reaction time and the ImpairmentIndex(truenegatives).Thefirsthypothesiswastestedby comparingmean scores for the groupson each of the MMPI clinicalscales.This hypothesiswas not supported,as noneof the mean scoresfor the falsepositivegroupsignificantlyexceededthe corresponding mean for the negativegroup.Someevidencefor the secondhypothesiswas found.In order to test this hypothesis,premorbidintelligencequotientswere predictedfor each participant, and a differentscorewas calculatedby subtractingthe actualIQ fromthe predictedIQ. The mean differencescorewas significantlygreaterfor the false positivegroup,suggestingthat a decrementin cognitivefunctioningnot detectedby the ImpairmentIndexmay indeedhave occurred. Taylor,D., & DeFilippis,N. Genderand HormonalInfluenceson Spatialand VerbalSkills. In an attemptto answertwo questionsconcerninggenderdifferencesin cognitiveabilitiesthe Heaton,Grant,and Matthews,ComprehensiveNorms,were analyzed.The data was utilized
Abstractsfrom the 17thAnnualMeeting
23
to determineif relativelypure measuresof verbaland spatialabilitiesdemonstratedgender related differences and if these differencesdemonstrateda convergenceas the age of menopauseapproached.This latterhypothesishas been proposedby severalauthors.Utilizing analysesof variance,the authorsfailedto find any significantdifferencesbetweenmales and femaleson any of the selectedmeasures.Furthermore,the hypothesizedconvergenceof scoresas menopausalage approachedwas not demonstrated.The resultsof the analysisare taken as a further demonstrationof the lack of consistencyin the literature concerning hypothesizedgenderand hormonalinfluenceson cognitiveabilities.Suggestionsare made for more detailedanalysesof the normativedata utilizedin this study.
DiCarlo, M. A., Gfeller,J. D., & Oliveri,M. V.
E#ects of Coachingon DetectingFeigned CognitiveImpairmentwith the Catego~ Test. In a replicationand extensionof previousresearch (Tenhula& Sweet, 1996),the current study investigatedthe utility of the Category Test (CT) for detecting feigned cognitive impairment.Ninety-twoundergraduateparticipantswere randomlyassignedto one of three groupsand administeredthe CT.A sophisticatedsimulatorgroupwas instructedto simulate cognitiveimpairmentand was providedtest-takingstrategiesto avoid detection.A naive simulatorgroupwas simplyinstructedto feign impairment.A controlgroup was instructed to performoptimally.In addition,the CT resultsof 30 traumaticbrain injury(TBI) patients who completedneuropsychologicalevaluationsfor recentinjurieswere analyzed.The results largelysupportedthe utilityof the four CT malingeringindicatorsor cutoffscoresidentified by Tenhulaand Sweet:(a) numberof errorson subtestsI & II, (b)numberof errorson subtest VII, totalCT errors,and (d) numberof errorson 19 “easy” items.Overallclassificationrates of the four indicatorsfor naive simulatorsand optimalperformancecontrolsranged from 88%to 97%. Correctclassificationratesfor the TBI patientsrangedfrom 70% to 1009io. As predicted,the sophisticatedsimulatorscommittedsignificantlyfewer errors on all four CT malingeringindicatorswhencomparedto the naivesimulators.Moreover,significantlymore sophisticatedsimulatorsweremisclassifiedas non-simulatorson threeof the CT malingering indicators,relativeto theirnaivecounterparts.A decisionrule of > 1 error on subtestsI and II was consistentlythe most accuratemalingeringindicator,regardlessof degreeof subject coaching, estimated level of intelligence,or presence of TBI. This indicator correctly classified77Y0of all simulatorsand 100Yoof the optimalperformancecontrols and TBI patients.Implicationsof the effects of coaching and the utility of these CT malingering indicatorsfor variouspopulationsare discussed. Dipino,R. K., Kabat,M. H., & Kane, R. L. A Comparisonof Five Measures of Premorbid Intellectual Functioningin a Sample of Patient’sInjured withDepleted Uranium. The estimationof premorbidIQ has long been an area of interestwithinthe neuropsychologicalcommunity(Crawford,Parker,& Besson, 1988;Krull, Scott,& Sherer, 1995).This is largely due to the dilemmaof evaluatingneurocognitivedecliningfollowinginjury or insult. Despite this, few studieshave comparedseveralof the most commonlyemployed methodsof estimationwithinone investigation.In an attemptto evaluatethe mostprominent methodsof estimatingpremorbidIQ, we comparedthe abilitiesof the ShipleyInstitutefor LivingScale(Zachary,1991),TheNorthAmericanReadingTest-Revised(NART-R;Nelson, 1991),TheArmedForcesQualifyingTest(AFQT),and theWideRangeAchievementTest-3 ReadingScaleScore(WRAT-3;Wilkinson,1993)to estimateFull ScaleIQ as predictedfrom the Seven SubtestVersion(Information,PictureCompletion,Arithmetic,Digit Span,Block Design,DigitSymbol,and Similarities)of the WAIS-R(Wechsler,1981).Thisversionof the WAIS-Rhas been empiricallyvalidatedto accuratelyestimateFSIQ. Data from 33 men
Abstractsfrom the 17thAnnualMeeting
cognitiveimpairmentfor analyses(RanchoV and VI, n = 8 and RanchoVII and VIII, n = 23), As predicted,resultsof a split-plotANOVAshowedlongerresponsetimesduringcategory determination(M = 6.68 sec.) Than during categorymaintenancephases (M= 2.80 sec.), regardless of level of cognitive impairment,p < .001. For more severely cognitively impairedindividuals,therewereno majordifferencesin thepatternof correlationswithother neuropsychologicaltest scores for category determinationand category maintenanceresponsetimes. The pattern of correlationsindicatedthat both these WCST measureswere associated with dii%cultyin basic attention, WCSTcd-WMS-Rdigit span r = – .327, WCSTcm-WMS-Rdigit spanr = –.249, WCSTcd-CVLTrail 1 r = –.728, WCSTcm-CVLT Trail 1 r = –.474. For less severelycognitivelyimpairedindividuals,responsetimesduring categorydeterminationwereonlyassociatedwiththe abilityto monitorresponses(WCSTcdCVLTperseverationsr = –.413) while responsetimes during categorymaintenancewere only associatedwith cognitiveorganizationalability(WCSTcm-CVLTsemanticclusteringr = .328). The implicationsof these findings for neuropsychologicalpractice and future researchare discussed. CutIan,S. L., Long, C. J., & Collins,L. F. The Ability of Reaction Time to Detect CognitiveDecline in Individuals with Normal NeuropsychologicalTestPerJorrnance. Previous studieshave demonstrateda moderatelystrong relationshipbetween the performance of individualson reaction time tasks and on neuropsychologicaltest batteries.For example,reactiontime scoreshavebeen used to successfullyclassify a majorityof individuals as impairedor not impairedaccordingto a modifiedform of the HalsteadImpairment Index. However, studies of this type have also identifiedseveral participantswho were misclassifiedby reactiontimeas to neuropsychologicalstatus.This studyexaminedone type of misclassification,the false positives(peoplenot impairedaccordingto the Impairment Index but classified as impairedby reaction time). The hypothesestested were: (1) that factorsotherthan levelof cognitivefunctioning— specificallyemotionalfactors— have an effect on reactiontime and had diminishedthe performanceof false positives,and (2) that false positiveshad suffereda changein cognitivefunctioningfrom a premorbidlysuperior levelto the normalrangeand that this decrementhad been detectedby reactiontime.A data basecontainingneuropsychological test scoreswasexamined,andtwo groupsof participants were identified.The first group consistedof individualswith impaired performanceon reaction time and normal scores on a modified ImpairmentIndex (false positives).The second group includedindividualswho were nonimpairedon both reaction time and the ImpairmentIndex(truenegatives).Thefirsthypothesiswastestedby comparingmean scores for the groupson each of the MMPI clinicalscales.This hypothesiswas not supported,as noneof the mean scoresfor the falsepositivegroupsignificantlyexceededthe corresponding mean for the negativegroup.Someevidencefor the secondhypothesiswas found.In order to test this hypothesis,premorbidintelligencequotientswere predictedfor each participant, and a differentscorewas calculatedby subtractingthe actualIQ fromthe predictedIQ. The mean differencescorewas significantlygreaterfor the false positivegroup,suggestingthat a decrementin cognitivefunctioningnot detectedby the ImpairmentIndexmay indeedhave occurred. Taylor,D., & DeFilippis,N. Genderand HormonalInfluenceson Spatialand VerbalSkills. In an attemptto answertwo questionsconcerninggenderdifferencesin cognitiveabilitiesthe Heaton,Grant,and Matthews,ComprehensiveNorms,were analyzed.The data was utilized
Abstractsfrom the 17thAnnualMeeting
23
to determineif relativelypure measuresof verbaland spatialabilitiesdemonstratedgender related differences and if these differencesdemonstrateda convergenceas the age of menopauseapproached.This latterhypothesishas been proposedby severalauthors.Utilizing analysesof variance,the authorsfailedto find any significantdifferencesbetweenmales and femaleson any of the selectedmeasures.Furthermore,the hypothesizedconvergenceof scoresas menopausalage approachedwas not demonstrated.The resultsof the analysisare taken as a further demonstrationof the lack of consistencyin the literature concerning hypothesizedgenderand hormonalinfluenceson cognitiveabilities.Suggestionsare made for more detailedanalysesof the normativedata utilizedin this study.
DiCarlo, M. A., Gfeller,J. D., & Oliveri,M. V.
E#ects of Coachingon DetectingFeigned CognitiveImpairmentwith the Catego~ Test. In a replicationand extensionof previousresearch (Tenhula& Sweet, 1996),the current study investigatedthe utility of the Category Test (CT) for detecting feigned cognitive impairment.Ninety-twoundergraduateparticipantswere randomlyassignedto one of three groupsand administeredthe CT.A sophisticatedsimulatorgroupwas instructedto simulate cognitiveimpairmentand was providedtest-takingstrategiesto avoid detection.A naive simulatorgroupwas simplyinstructedto feign impairment.A controlgroup was instructed to performoptimally.In addition,the CT resultsof 30 traumaticbrain injury(TBI) patients who completedneuropsychologicalevaluationsfor recentinjurieswere analyzed.The results largelysupportedthe utilityof the four CT malingeringindicatorsor cutoffscoresidentified by Tenhulaand Sweet:(a) numberof errorson subtestsI & II, (b)numberof errorson subtest VII, totalCT errors,and (d) numberof errorson 19 “easy” items.Overallclassificationrates of the four indicatorsfor naive simulatorsand optimalperformancecontrolsranged from 88%to 97%. Correctclassificationratesfor the TBI patientsrangedfrom 70% to 1009io. As predicted,the sophisticatedsimulatorscommittedsignificantlyfewer errors on all four CT malingeringindicatorswhencomparedto the naivesimulators.Moreover,significantlymore sophisticatedsimulatorsweremisclassifiedas non-simulatorson threeof the CT malingering indicators,relativeto theirnaivecounterparts.A decisionrule of > 1 error on subtestsI and II was consistentlythe most accuratemalingeringindicator,regardlessof degreeof subject coaching, estimated level of intelligence,or presence of TBI. This indicator correctly classified77Y0of all simulatorsand 100Yoof the optimalperformancecontrols and TBI patients.Implicationsof the effects of coaching and the utility of these CT malingering indicatorsfor variouspopulationsare discussed. Dipino,R. K., Kabat,M. H., & Kane, R. L. A Comparisonof Five Measures of Premorbid Intellectual Functioningin a Sample of Patient’sInjured withDepleted Uranium. The estimationof premorbidIQ has long been an area of interestwithinthe neuropsychologicalcommunity(Crawford,Parker,& Besson, 1988;Krull, Scott,& Sherer, 1995).This is largely due to the dilemmaof evaluatingneurocognitivedecliningfollowinginjury or insult. Despite this, few studieshave comparedseveralof the most commonlyemployed methodsof estimationwithinone investigation.In an attemptto evaluatethe mostprominent methodsof estimatingpremorbidIQ, we comparedthe abilitiesof the ShipleyInstitutefor LivingScale(Zachary,1991),TheNorthAmericanReadingTest-Revised(NART-R;Nelson, 1991),TheArmedForcesQualifyingTest(AFQT),and theWideRangeAchievementTest-3 ReadingScaleScore(WRAT-3;Wilkinson,1993)to estimateFull ScaleIQ as predictedfrom the Seven SubtestVersion(Information,PictureCompletion,Arithmetic,Digit Span,Block Design,DigitSymbol,and Similarities)of the WAIS-R(Wechsler,1981).Thisversionof the WAIS-Rhas been empiricallyvalidatedto accuratelyestimateFSIQ. Data from 33 men