The effect of underreporting response bias on the assessment of psychopathology.

Lanyon, Richard I.; Wershba, Rebecca

doi:10.1037/a0030914

Cited by 11 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 27 publications

(59 reference statements)

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“…These obfuscating internal factors may encourage disuse. In addition, as mentioned above, response bias indicators such as the MD Scale have a contentious history and often unclear relevance to important outcomes in non-forensic settings (Lanyon & Wershba, 2013; McGrath et al, 2010; Rohling et al, 2011; Uziel, 2010). More speculatively, the dual names of the scale—both defense mechanisms—smack of the often-shunned psychoanalytic tradition and may thus invoke reflexive rejection.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…At this point in time, however, despite the relevance of the phenomena of minimization and denial to the self-reporting of early trauma, and despite the ubiquity of the CTQ, we are not aware of any evidence to support or refute the “hidden reservoir” hypothesis: that MD Scale scores correlate with (a) actual historical events, (b) minimization and denial of these events, or (c) functional outcomes associated with childhood trauma. In addition—despite nearly a century of research—the use and relevance of response bias indicators such as the MD Scale are still contentious in non-forensic settings (Lanyon & Wershba, 2013; McGrath et al, 2010; Rohling et al, 2011).…”

Section: Relevance and Meaning Of Minimization And The MD Scalementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Turning to the second question—the personality or attachment style of people who strongly endorse the MD items—we note that this scale was initially validated against measures of social desirability/impression management, and that the literature on the correlates of this reporting tendency is mixed (see Lanyon & Wershba, 2013; McGrath et al, 2010; Rohling et al, 2011; Uziel, 2010, for recent commentaries). On one hand, an older literature suggests that a self-aggrandizing tendency (i.e., a social desirability bias) is associated with psychological difficulties, ultimately compromising the value of self-reports in general and creating an “illusion of mental health” (Shedler, Mayman, & Manis, 1993).…”

Section: Relevance and Meaning Of Minimization And The MD Scalementioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

A Perfect Childhood? Clinical Correlates of Minimization and Denial on the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire

MacDonald

Michael

MacDonald³

et al. 2014

J Interpers Violence

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Childhood trauma has pervasive and enduring effects on myriad health outcomes, and the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) is a widely used screening tool. To assess recall and reporting biases, the CTQ includes a Minimization/Denial (MD) Scale, although this scale is typically omitted or not reported on. As this practice is not supported by empirical data, we sought to examine the clinical correlates of the CTQ MD Scale, as well as its function as a response bias index (i.e., its moderation effects). We examined correlations between the MD Scale and attachment style, temperament, personality, depression, and clinical diagnoses in a group of 200 adult psychiatric outpatients. Regression analyses were performed to assess the impact of MD on the relationships between the CTQ and clinical variables. Twenty percent of our sample met MD criteria. When patients were grouped as MD-positive versus MD-negative, significant between-group differences were found on several clinical measures. MD status, however, did not significantly moderate the relationships between the CTQ and clinical variables. This is one of the first clinically focused examinations of the CTQ's MD Scale. Although the MD Scale was associated with several clinical variables, it did not significantly moderate the relationship between the CTQ and clinical variables. These findings, therefore, call into question the value of the MD Scale as a response bias index, although they should be replicated in larger studies before the currently ubiquitous practice of ignoring it can be considered evidence-based.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Relevance and Meaning Of Minimization And The MD Scalementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Relevance and Meaning Of Minimization And The MD Scalementioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

A Perfect Childhood? Clinical Correlates of Minimization and Denial on the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire

MacDonald

Michael

MacDonald³

et al. 2014

J Interpers Violence

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“…Watson et al (2012), the only self-report study to include OCD and mania, identified a bipolar subfactor in addition to distress and fear. However, self-ratings may be affected by several problems – including acquiescence, careless responding and defensiveness/poor insight (Meade & Craig, 2012; Fervaha & Remington, 2013; Lanyon & Wershba, 2013; Rammstedt & Farmer, 2013) – which makes it desirable to complement self-ratings with other methods. A trained interviewer often can minimize these problems through clarification, probing, encouragement and application of clinical judgment (Spitzer et al 1992).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The structure and short-term stability of the emotional disorders: a dimensional approach

2014

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This investigation - which bridges diagnostic and self-report studies - found three subfactors of internalizing psychopathology. It provided support for a new subfactor, clarified the placement of obsessive-compulsive and bipolar disorders, and demonstrated that this model generalizes across populations. The accumulating research suggests the need to recognize formally the close links among the emotional disorders, as well as empirical clusters within this spectrum. The IMAS demonstrated strong psychometric properties and can be useful for various research and clinical applications by providing dimensional, interview-based assessment of the emotional disorders.

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“…In this case, the parents are completing the rating scale defensively. Defensiveness involves positive impression management on the part of parents by under‐reporting negative behaviors in which their child actually engages or by over‐reporting of their child's engagement in positive behaviors (De Los Reyes & Kazdin, ; Lanyon & Wershba, ; Rogers, ). The parent is “faking good” for their child.…”

Section: Deceptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Detecting Parental Deception Using a Behavior Rating Scale During Assessment of Attention‐deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: An Experimental Study

Norfolk

Floyd

2015

Psychology in the Schools

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It is often assumed that parents completing behavior rating scales during the assessment of attentiondeficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can deliberately manipulate the outcomes of the assessment. To detect these actions, items designed to detect over-reporting or under-reporting of results are sometimes embedded in such rating scales. This study presents the results of an experimental study in which parents (a) read a scenario telling them that their hypothetical son's teacher has suggested their son may have ADHD and (b) considered assigned goals for the assessment. Parents then completed the accompanying Conners 3Parent Short form (Conners 3-P[S]) in a manner that they believed would achieve their assigned goals. Findings showed that parents are able to engage in deception when completing behavior rating scales. The validity scales embedded in the Conners 3-P(S), however, demonstrated mixed results for detecting parental deception with the Negative Impression validity scale, accurately detecting attempts to malinger in the majority of cases, whereas the Positive Impression validity scale appears to have little to no diagnostic utility for the detection of defensive responding. Clinicians utilizing behavior rating scales should carefully consider results, and nonresults, obtained from embedded validity scales when interpreting parent responses to behavior rating scales as part of an ADHD assessment. C 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) describes a disabling condition characterized by excessive and developmentally inappropriate inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. The standard of practice during assessment and diagnosis of ADHD during childhood and adolescence is a multi-method, multi-informant assessment, which may include a developmental history interview with a parent, a physical examination, and rating scales completed by adults that describe ADHD symptoms. In particular, because the diagnosis of ADHD requires that the symptoms of the disorder be present in more than one setting (e.g., home and school), both parents and teachers are often called on to report the frequency and intensity of ADHD symptoms while completing behavior rating scales (APA, 2013;Barkley, 2014).Behavior rating scales can be considered evidence-based assessment tools (Hunsley & Mash, 2007) due to the research supporting their reliability and validity conducted across several decades. Rating scales are far more efficient and less obtrusive to complete than naturalistic observations of child and adolescent behaviors, are relatively inexpensive, and are able to summarize weeks and months of observations of knowledgeable caregivers rating the child or adolescent (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2011;Barkley, 2014;Pelham, Fabiano, & Massetti, 2005; United States Department of Education, 2008). Despite this strong research base and these advantages, behavior rating s...

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The effect of underreporting response bias on the assessment of psychopathology.

Cited by 11 publications

References 27 publications

A Perfect Childhood? Clinical Correlates of Minimization and Denial on the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire

A Perfect Childhood? Clinical Correlates of Minimization and Denial on the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire

The structure and short-term stability of the emotional disorders: a dimensional approach

Detecting Parental Deception Using a Behavior Rating Scale During Assessment of Attention‐deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: An Experimental Study

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