Does the source of a forensic referral affect neuropsychological test performance on a standardized battery of tests?

Résumé

The current study examines the differences in neuropsychological test performance between individuals who were referred for evaluation by either plaintiff or defense attorneys. Comparisons were made using a standardized battery of tests, with the same tests being administered to both groups of individuals along with the MMPI-2. The results of the study showed no significant difference in domain-level performance, or on the psychological measures administered for plaintiff vs defense referrals who passed symptom validity tests (SVTs). Similarly, although those failing SVTs produced markedly lower test performance and reported more psychological symptoms in comparison to those passing SVTs, there were no differences between plaintiff or defense referrals on test performance for those failing SVTs.