Embedded Indicators of Simulated Learning Disability in a Pychoeducational Battery

Date of Award

December 2017

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Psychology

Advisor(s)

Lawrence Lewandowski

Keywords

academic achievement, assessment, learning disability, malingering, simulation

Subject Categories

Social and Behavioral Sciences

Abstract

Malingering can be a significant problem in psychodiagnostic assessments of mild brain injury, ADHD, and even learning disability (LD). The current study sought to discriminate college students with LD from a typical peer group (Control) and a group of students asked to malinger (Simulators). Participants completed measures of reading fluency, reading comprehension, math fluency, math calculation, and effort. They also completed a reading disability symptom report. Results indicated that all measures differentiated the LD from Control group, but none was effective at differentiating Simulators from the LD students. Only a measure of reading fluency showed a significant difference between the Simulator and LD group scores, but this measure, along with all other tests within the battery, did not produce adequate sensitivity and specificity. The implications and limitations of the current study and outcomes are discussed along with directions for further research.

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