Embedded Performance Validity Tests in the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test—Revised and the Brief Visuospatial Memory Test—Revised: A Replication Study

Abstract

Embedded performance validity tests (PVTs) within the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test—Revised (HVLT-R) and Brief Visuospatial Memory Test—Revised (BVMT-R) were recently identified. This study aimed to further validate/replicate these embedded PVTs. Eighty clinically referred veterans who underwent neuropsychological evaluation were included. Validity groups were established by passing/failing 2–3 well-validated PVTs, with 75% (n = 60) classified as valid and 25% (n = 20) noncredible. Fifty-two percent of valid participants were cognitively impaired. HVLT-R Recognition Discrimination (RD) of ≤5 yielded 67% sensitivity/80% specificity for identifying noncredible performance. Removal of seven valid participants with an amnestic profile who produced a false positive, improved specificity to 92%, which replicated the original findings. Replication efforts failed for BVMT-R Percent Retained; however, significant findings for RD were elucidated. Replication efforts were positive for the HVLT-R embedded PVT, corroborating its ability to identify invalid performance in this heterogeneous clinical veteran sample with and without cognitive impairment.