Clin Neuropsychol. 2026 Apr 2:1-15. doi: 10.1080/13854046.2026.2648272. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: There is strong support for the use of performance validity tests (PVTs) in all neuropsychological evaluations, however, research examining racial, ethnic, and linguistic differences in failure rates remains scarce, particularly in younger populations. The current investigation sought to determine whether race/ethnicity, primary household language, and participant’s first language predicts failure rates on the Test of Memory Malingering (TOMM), Memory Validity Profile (MVP), and Medical Symptom Validity (MSVT) in a large clinical sample.
METHOD: This sample included N = 2,266 neurologically, racially, and linguistically diverse children, adolescents, and young adults (Mean age = 11.78 [SD = 3.98], range = 5-25; Female sex = 45.9%; mean FSIQ = 80.31 [SD = 18.57]) who completed one or more stand-alone PVTs as part of their neuropsychological assessment. PVT failure rates across groups were calculated and regression analyses assessed predictors of failure.
RESULTS: Although those with a non-English household and child’s first language had higher failure rates on TOMM and MVP (Chi-square), logistic regression analyses showed that race/ethnicity, primary household language, and child’s first language did not predict PVT failures rates across measures above age of assessment and FSIQ. Notably, FSIQ was the most consistent predictor of PVT failure rates, with increasing FSIQ score being associated with lower likelihood of PVT failure (all p < .001).
CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest largely comparable failure rates across racial/ethnic/linguistic groups, reinforcing the clinical utility of PVTs in racially diverse populations.
PMID:41928556 | DOI:10.1080/13854046.2026.2648272
