B – 151 Examination of the Relationship Between MMPI-3 Symptom Validity Scales and Performance Validity Tests in a Clinical Neuropsychological Sample

Abstract Objective Symptom Validity Tests (SVTs) and Performance Validity Tests (PVTs) ensure that reported symptoms are credible and that test scores accurately represent one's abilities. Given the common use of validity tests in psychological evaluations, the current study examined the relationship between the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-3 (MMPI-3) SVTs and several independent and embedded PVTs. Method Archival data was collected from 251 patients (average age = 37, 79% Caucasian, 69% female) at an outpatient neuropsychology clinic in the midwestern United States. Scores from the following tests were collected: MMPI-3 validity scales, Test of Memory Malingering, Word Memory Test, Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-IV Reliable Digit Span (WAIS-IV RDS), and the Test of Variables of Attention validity scales. Results Multinominal regression analyses revealed the odds of the WAIS-IV RDS being invalid increased by around 1 for every one-unit increase in the MMPI-3 Lie and Fake Bad (FBS) scales. Additionally, the odds of one or more failures on the WMT increased for every one-unit increase in the Variable Response Inconsistency, Infrequent Psychopathology, Infrequent Somatic, and FBS scales. An ANOVA revealed no differences between the MMPI-3 validity scales of individuals with and without invalid PVTs, and an ROC analysis indicated that the classification accuracy of the MMPI-3 SVTs was relatively low. Conclusion Although some relationships between specific MMPI-3 validity scales and PVTs were found, results indicate that both SVTs and PVTs assess discrete constructs and therefore serve separate yet important roles in clinical evaluations. These distinct tools both offer unique insights, enhancing both the confidence and precision of clinical decision-making.