Self-efficacy and Performance Validity Testing in Active Duty Service Members

Abstract

Abstract Objective The base rate of performance validity test (PVT) failure in the military has been relatively well established and averages approximately 33% in clinical and 50% in disability samples, respectively. Secondary gain is an omnipresent concern; however, frank malingering may not account for all cases of PVT failure. As a result, other psychological and social factors potentially associated with PVT failure have been suggested and include nocebo effect, diagnosis threat, perceived injustice, and loss aversion. Self-efficacy has been associated with a range of medical and psychological conditions and outcomes. It was hypothesized that self-efficacy would be among the psychosocial factors impacting PVT failure. Method A retrospective review of 263 US Service Members administered the MMPI-2-RF and the Medical Symptom Validity Test (MSVT) and/or the Non-Verbal MSVT (NV-MSVT) in the context of neuropsychological assessments was conducted. Results Correlations between the MMPI-2-RF Inefficacy sub-scale (NFC) and MSVT and NV-MSVT were not statistically significant (r = -0.10, p = .12 & r = -.04, p = .53, respectively). Moreover, the Inefficacy sub-scale did not significantly differ as a function of PVT performance (non-significant t-tests) and effect sizes were low (Cohen’s d of .22 [MSVT] and .11 [NV-MSVT]). Conclusions Contrary to initial expectations, the current data failed to demonstrate a reliable relationship between self-efficacy and PVT performances. While various psychosocial variables have been associated with performance validity testing, it appears that self-efficacy is not.