Performance validity tests in a large racially and linguistically diverse pediatric and young adult clinical sample: Investigations of the TOMM, MVP, and MSVT

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: = 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: < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest largely comparable failure rates across racial/ethnic/linguistic groups, reinforcing the clinical utility of PVTs in racially diverse populations.