Utility of TOMM trial 1 as an indicator of effort in children and adolescents

Abstract

Although measuring test compliance in a pediatric neuropsychological evaluation is important, increasing demands on clinicians' time and the need for efficiency during assessments may make it difficult to routinely include effort testing. This study investigated whether performance on Trial 1 of the Test of Memory Malingering (TOMM) is predictive of overall performance in children and adolescents with neurological disorders. Participants included 53 children and adolescents between six and 19 years (mean age = 12.4, SD = 4.1) who were followed through a neurology clinic at a tertiary care hospital. Several cutoff scores were examined, with the goal of maximizing positive predictive (accurate detection of failure on the TOMM) and negative predictive (accurate detection of passing the TOMM) values. Every participant who scored ≥36 on Trial 1 (n = 50) went on to pass the TOMM. This study is the first step in providing evidence that performance on Trial 1 might be used as a quick screening measure of overall performance on the TOMM in children and adolescents. Further research on this topic is warranted. © The Author 2011. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.