Are Established Embedded Performance Validity Test Cut-Offs Generalizable to Patients With Multiple Sclerosis?

Abstract

Data for the use of embedded performance validity tests (ePVTs) with multiple sclerosis (MS) patients are limited. The purpose of the current study was to determine whether ePVTs previously validated in other neurological samples perform similarly in an MS sample. In this retrospective study, the prevalence of below-criterion responding at different cut-off scores was calculated for each ePVT of interest among patients with MS who passed a stand-alone PVT. Previously established PVT cut-offs generally demonstrated acceptable specificity when applied to our sample. However, the overall cognitive burden of the sample was limited relative to that observed in prior large-scale MS studies. The current study provides initial data regarding the performance of select ePVTs among an MS sample. Results indicate most previously validated cut-offs avoid excessive false positive errors in a predominantly relapsing remitting MS sample. Further validation among MS patients with more advanced disease is warranted.