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Biomedical subjects

J E Meyers

Publications and source records attributed to J E Meyers.

18 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

How low is too low, revisited: sentence repetition and AVLT-recognition in the detection of malingering.

Sentence Repetition (SR) and Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test-Recognition Task (AVLT-R) scores of 5 groups of examinees (severe traumatic brain injury [TBI], mild TBI nonlitigants, normal controls, mild TBI litigants, and actors) were compared with the intent of determining cutoffs for the detection of malingering. Cutoff scores were set below the minimum of the severe TBI group, resulting in a specificity of 100% for both tests. At this level of specificity, the AVLT-R detected 10 of the 20 known actors (50% sensitivity), whereas SR correctly identified 14 of the 20 actors (70% sensitivity). Among litigants with mild injury, 12.24% were identified by the AVLT-R and 6.12% by SR as malingerers. These findings are similar to those found utilizing a variety of other common neuropsychological instruments. Employing commonly used neuropsychological tests as measures of motivation is both practical and clinically useful.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed2000

Assessment of malingering in chronic pain patients using neuropsychological tests.

Validity checks into neuropsychological tests have been successful at detecting malingering in litigant patients with mild brain injury in recent years. This study expanded on these findings and examined whether 6 neuropsychological tests could be used to detect malingering in litigant (n = 55) and nonlitigant (n = 53) patients claiming cognitive deficits due to chronic pain. Encouraging findings were found. When patients were matched on age, gender, racial or ethnic background, years of education, and time postinjury, almost one third (29%) of patients in the litigant group failed 2 or more validity checks in these 6 neuropsychological tests versus none (0%) of the patients in the nonlitigant group. This result challenges the validity of some litigant patients who complain of cognitive deficits due to chronic pain. Furthermore, the findings suggest that neuropsychological assessments can be used as part of the assessment of chronic pain complainants. Further investigation of the validity markers in these 6 neuropsychological tests is recommended.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Sentence repetition test: updated norms and clinical utility.

The Sentence Repetition test (SR) has been used to assess aphasic and other patients in neuropsychological settings. SR has been shown to be reliable and valid, as well as sensitive to patients with brain injury. This study was conducted to update the normative data for the SR. Sensitivity and specificity tests of the SR using the new normative data was also conducted. The findings suggest that SR is sensitive to specific brain dysfunction that affects the ability to repeat sentences as well as attention and concentration. The new normative data show that the ability to repeat sentences is not influenced by age, but education appears to be a significant factor in SR performance. In a clinical group, a reduction of SR performance was related to length of unconsciousness and was more impaired for patients with left-hemisphere injury. Good specificity and sensitivity were found. The findings of this study confirm that with new norms, SR continues to be a useful tool for neuropsychological assessment.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Neuropsychological outcome of head injury using a short battery.

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate that a semi-flexible neuropsychological test battery would accurately identify and discriminate head trauma severity levels. In addition, it was intended to demonstrate that this same battery could discriminate head trauma individuals from individuals with other diagnoses. Participants were patients referred for a neuropsychological evaluation. All patients were administered a battery of tests taking approximately 3 hours. It was found that the semi-flexible battery was able to differentiate patients grouped into six different severity levels of loss of consciousness (LOC). In addition, the battery was able to differentiate patients with diagnoses including mental health diagnosis, CVA, dementia, and head trauma. These results support previous findings, but utilized a semi-flexible test battery to do so. This shorter battery is beneficial to patient, neuropsychologists, and managed care providers alike.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1999

Driving is more than pedal pushing.

The purpose of this study was to determine the usefulness of neuropsychological assessment for predicting driving competency (as opposed to driving skill). Participants were divided into 2 groups, currently driving and not currently driving, based on patient and family member reports of driving ability. In addition, driving participants were only included if there had been no accidents or driving-related injuries in the past year. Stepwise discriminant function analysis was utilized to identify measures that were predictive but not redundant, thereby resulting in a shortened battery. The discriminant function analysis was able to correctly classify 94.4% of the overall sample. A factor analysis was used to identify the constructs that comprised the final short battery. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that a short neuropsychological battery was able to identify individuals who were competent to drive and those who were not competent to drive.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1999

Detection of malingerers using the Rey Complex Figure and Recognition Trial.

The detection of malingered performance on neuropsychological tests is important for the clinical practitioner. However, malingering is often impossible to detect based on individual test scores. This article suggests that the relation of scores to one another (profile pattern) adds a dimension to identifying malingered performance not available through examination of individual test scores. This article examines Memory Error Patterns (MEPs) of the Rey Complex Figure Test and Recognition Trial (RCFT; Meyers & Meyers, 1995). The patterns were found to be good predictors of malingering. Malingering participants and simulators produce storage and attention MEPs whereas these 2 patterns do not appear in mild brain injury participants who have adequate motivation. Therefore, MEPs on the RCFT appear to be a method that can be used to detect malingered performance. It is important that the validity of the individual neuropsychological test performance used in an assessment be evaluated as part of the interpretation process.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Malingering and mild brain injury: how low is too low.

The purpose of this study was to investigate potential validity markers for 4 commonly used neuropsychological tests. Participants were divided into 5 groups: moderate/severe brain injury (n = 27), mild brain injury--nonlitigating (n = 35), normal controls (n = 30), mild brain injury--litigating (n = 49), and malingering "actors" (n = 20). Participants completed a flexible neuropsychological battery that included the 4 tests of interest (Judgment of Line Orientation, Token Test, Dichotic Listening, and 20-item forced choice). Results demonstrated cutoff levels on all 4 tests below which people with mild brain injury would not be expected to fall. The fact that some litigants, but no nonlitigants, fell below these cutoff levels suggests these tests and their cutoff levels may be used appropriately as internal validity markers. There was 100% specificity and 95% sensitivity found when all 4 tests were used together (1-test criteria) to separate litigants, nonlitigants, and actors. It is suggested that further examination of these tests and other neuropsychological tests, be completed so that, eventually, all neuropsychological tests will have internal validity markers.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Validity of the Ward seven-subtest WAIS-III short form in a neuropsychological population.

An investigation of the Ward 7-subtest short form of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-III (WAIS-III) in a neuropsychological clinic sample finds that the short form retains equivalent psychometric properties to those previously reported for the same short form of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R). The correlations found for the 7-subtest form of the WAIS-III were .95 for Performance IQ, .97 for Verbal IQ, and .98 for Full Scale IQ. The 7-subtest short form of the WAIS-III was also found to perform similarly to its WAIS-R counterpart on other markers of test accuracy. These results support the continued use of the Ward 7-subtest short form of the WAIS-III in a neuropsychological population.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Validation of reliable digits for detection of malingering.

This study is a cross validation of the previous work by Greffenstein, Baker, and Gola (1994) and Greiffenstein, Gola, and Baker (1995) on the Reliable Digits (RD) method of detecting possible malingering. This study consisted of 47 mild brain-injured litigating and 49 mild brain-injured non-litigating participants. The result of this study was that only 4.1% of the non-litigating participants were classified as malingering by RD, while 48.9% of the litigating participants were classified as malingering by RD. Comparing litigating participants' performance on a forced choice task with their RD revealed that 77.8% (7/9) who failed the forced choice task also failed RD. RD classified more litigating patients as malingering than did the forced choice task and none of the non-litigating participants failed forced choice. These findings underscore the previous recommendations of Greiffenstein et al. (1994, 1995), that it is important to assess motivation on specific neuropsychological tests and that motivation on neuropsychological tests is not an all or none phenomenon.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Validation of memory error patterns on the Rey Complex Figure and Recognition Trial.

The identification and use of Memory Error Patterns (MEPs) for the Rey Complex Figure and Recognition Trial is a new concept. The current series of experiments first validates the presence of MEPs using a cluster analysis, then provides base rate information on a large group of normal control participants. Finally, the MEPs of various clinical groups are examined. The findings of these studies support the presence of MEPs and the clinical rules used to identify these MEPs. Normal control participants are expected to achieve Normal/Other MEPs, whereas mild to moderately impaired participants will generally produce Retrieval or Normal/Other MEPs. In addition, severely impaired participants will produce Storage, Encoding, or Attention MEPs. The usefulness of the MEP in clinical practice is discussed.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1998

A cross-validation study of the Victoria Revision of the Category Test.

Short form versions of the Category Test have been shown to be effective tools for assessing brain injury in relatively short amounts of time. The purpose of the current study was to compare the Victoria Revision of the Category Test with the full booklet version. The Victoria Revision short form was administered as part of a neuropsychological battery to two sets of participants matched for diagnosis. Results showed that the Victoria Revision is as effective in identifying brain injury as the full Category Test. The authors conclude that the Victoria Revision is a viable alternative to the full Category Test. In this time of managed health care, and in consideration of the fatigability of brain injured subjects, a valid short version of the Category Test is clinically relevant and useful.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1996

Rey complex figure: memory error patterns and functional abilities.

The functional abilities of brain injured persons to live independently, were assessed using the Rancho Los Amigos Scale ratings of functional levels which were compared with memory error patterns on the Rey Complex Figure (Rey 1941) and the Recognition Trial developed by Meyers & Meyers (1995) Memory error patterns were described by Sohlberg & Mateer (1989), the least impaired memory error pattern was Retrieval, while Storage, Encoding and Attention patterns indicated greater defect Spearman rank order correlation revealed the strong association (r(S) = 86) of memory error pattern with Rancho Scale functional ratings In independent subjects 96 % achieved a Retrieval memory error pattern whereas 93% of subjects whose memory error pattern was poorer than a Retrieval pattern were unable to function independently Results indicate that patients obtaining a Retrieval (or better) memory error pattern may be expected to possess adequate cognitive resources for independent functioning.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1995

Work related musculoskeletal disorders and ergonomic stressors in the South African workforce.

OBJECTIVES: The main objective of this study was to investigate exposure-response relations between adverse musculoskeletal outcomes and ergonomic exposure variables. METHODS: A cross sectional analytical study was conducted in 11 factories from seven sectors of manufacturing industry in South Africa. Exposure to workplace ergonomic stressors was assessed in factory floor jobs (n = 46) with a simple low technology observational model. Repetition, force, static posture, dynamic movement, and other job exposures were measured. Data of adverse musculoskeletal outcome and data on potential confounders and effect modifiers were obtained from subjects (n = 401) randomly sampled from each job category with a questionnaire given by interviewers. RESULTS: High prevalences of regional musculoskeletal pain were found with substantial variability between industries. Sex was the only individual risk factor (after adjustment for potential confounders and effect modifiers) that was significantly associated with regional pain. Ergonomic exposures in the workplace were significantly associated with musculoskeletal pain of the neck and shoulders odds ratio (OR) 5.38 (95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.16 to 25.0) for repetition, and OR 3.91 (95% CI 1.11 to 13.7) for seated compared with standing work; pain of the wrists and hands OR 10.2 (95% CI 1.39 to 75.6) for high summed score of dynamic postures of the wrist). CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates good predictive ability to reduce ergonomic stress with the exposure model, simple surveillance methods, and educational programmes in the workplace. Further study on sampling strategies and refinement of dimensions of ergonomic stressors are needed.

Cross-Sectional Studies↗
PubMed1992

Improvements in the signing skills of hearing parents of deaf children.

Most deaf children are born to hearing parents. Yet, many hearing parents are unable to communicate clearly and unambiguously with their deaf offspring. This study looked at changes in the number of parents of deaf offspring who learn sign language, and the signing skills of those parents. It found that over the years the signing skills of these parents have been improving. Of the younger deaf offspring in this study, 73% reported that their parents knew some sign language. Younger offspring rated their parents' signing skills higher than did older offspring. These results may indicate that more parents are now learning sign language.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Hearing-impaired patients in the medical setting.

Physicians may encounter unique problems in providing medical services to patients with severe hearing impairments, and they may not be aware of the legal rights of these patients to specific services under section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Most physicians have relatively little contact with the hearing impaired and thus are unprepared for the unique challenges presented by this population. The authors present basic information needed by physicians and their staffs to appropriately serve the hearing impaired.

Communication Devices for People with Disabilities↗
PubMed1986

The relationship of disability to compensation status in railroad workers.

The role that the secondary gain of work-related back pain plays in the length of disability is an issue that has been debated for years without absolute resolution. This article compares the disability period of lumbar sprain/strain and operated back cases in employees injured on duty and off duty. The patients injured on duty had a statistically significantly longer period of disability than those injured off duty, even when the cases were matched for gender and type of injury.

Accidents, Occupational↗
PubMed1986

Cognitive strategies and expectations as components of social competence in young adolescents.

Social strategies and expectations as components of social competence were examined, with twenty-nine male adolescents participating in a conversation with an opposite-sex experimental confederate. Subjects were then shown a videotape recording of their interaction and asked to report their thoughts during the conversation. Afterwards, they were interviewed in order to ascertain their thoughts and strategies during the interaction. Global judgments of social competence were made from these videotapes, and adolescents receiving ten highest and lowest ratings were assigned to the high-competent and low-competent groups, respectively. Transcripts of the interviews of these twenty subjects were rated by three trained judges along several dimensions, including number of strategies mentioned, expectation about conversational pauses, and self, other, and mutual references to conversation. Results indicated that high-competent subjects reported more original (not prompted) positive strategies, and more cognitions in the last segment of the ten-minute interaction. Low-competent subjects made more negative statements when describing the dyad they had formed with the confederate, and were more unfavorable overall. The importance of examining additional populations to identify the specific cognitive components which consistently differentiate high- and low-component persons, and the subsequent role of new treatment modalities involving both behavioral training and cognitive restructuring are discussed in light of these findings.

Adolescent↗