Week 3 Flashcards
Response styles: distortion
Use validity scores to test for distortion. Why someone might distort their responses:
impression management (conscious or unconscious)
Malingering
Social desirable
Claiming excessive virtue
Acquiescence
Non-acquiescence
Extreme responding
Validity scales (and what are the major ones)
?
L
F
K
Fb
VRIN
TRIN
S
Fp
Mp
Biggest validity scale: L, F, K
? Scale
(cannot say)
don’t answer, or answer both T/F
Sum of omitted and double scored items
- omitted items generally lower the scale scores overall
–> 10 items omitted, interpret with caution
–> 30 items omitted, invalid test (may reflect reading difficulties)
High ? score suggests carelessness, uncooperative, poor reading skills, ignored specific content areas (e.g., sex), indecisive (O/C), avoiding, lack of experience in the world, severe disturbance
L Scale
Lie Scale
The only rationally developed scale
– > collection of unlikely virtues
Average raw score = 4 (college educated = 0 or 1)
Detects naive, deliberate, unsophisticated attempts to be favorable; unwilling to admit to minor flaws
High score suggests claiming excessive virtue
High L suggests other scores probably show better picture than reality
F Scale
Infrequency scale (saying yes to questions that nobody would say yes to)
Very heterogeneous scale; elevations are confusing; confounded with psychic disturbance and distress
Detects deviant/atypical ways of responding
If valid protocol, good indicator of degree of psychopathology with elevation related to high clinical scales, especially 6 and 8
**Use VRIN to better understand F scale
Possible reasons for elevated F
Reading difficulties
Random responding due to confusion or inattentive
Willful random responding (uncooperative)
Malingering or conscious exaggeration
Cry for help or narcissistic demands for attention
True disturbance accurately reported
VRIN
Variable Response Inconsistency Scale
Consists of pairs of items that each should be answered in a particular direction to be consistent; when they are not, it suggests client is being inconsistent in responding
e. g.,
“I wake up fresh and rested most mornings.” AND “My sleep is fitful and disturbed.”
Raw score > 13 suggests inconsistent responding and probable invalidity
To hand score, must transfer answers to a separate sheet & then use an overlay
elevated VRIN can be sign of OCD
High F and high VRIN together
High F (greater than 75)
Reading difficulties
Random responding due to confusion or inattentive
Willful random responding (uncooperative)
High F and normal or low VRIN
Malingering or conscious exaggeration
Cry for help or narcissistic demands for attention
True disturbance accurately reported
Low F and high VRIN
Obsessive, indecisive, or perfectionistic
(especially if scale 7 is also elevated)
K Scale
Social desirability scale
Subtle index of attempt to deny and down-play socially undesirable traits
(its okay to laugh at dirty jokes)
Fb Scale
Back page infrequency scale
Similar to F scale but covering the last part of the test (after item 370)
If T-score > 80, be cautious in interpretation of those scales with items near the end of the test
If T-score > 120, clearly invalid back page
If F is valid but Fb is invalid, the person likely quit paying attention `
S Scale
Superlative Scale
Detects presentation as highly virtuous, responsible, psychologically healthy
Similar to L scale but some different
Fp scale
(infrequence psychopathology scale)
Useful in identifying conscious faking bad
–> useful in forensic cases
Need to be really high
looks at infrequently endorsed items in forensics cases or something
Mp scale
Positive malingering scale
Useful in detecting attempts to present in a favorable light
