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L M Binder

Publications and source records attributed to L M Binder.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

Money matters: a meta-analytic review of the effects of financial incentives on recovery after closed-head injury.

OBJECTIVE: The authors evaluated the impact of financial incentives on disability, symptoms, and objective findings after closed-head injury. METHOD: Meta-analysis was used to review the literature. Seventeen reports, covering 18 study groups and a total of 2,353 subjects, contained data from which effect sizes could be calculated. Effect sizes were aggregated after weighting for group size. After discussion, there was 100% agreement between the authors on all calculations. RESULTS: A moderate overall effect size, 0.47, was found. The effect was particularly strong for mild head trauma. The data showed more abnormality and disability in patients with financial incentives despite less severe injuries. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical evaluation of patients after closed-head injury, particularly mild head trauma, must include consideration of the effect of financial incentives on symptoms and disability.

Brain Concussion↗
PubMed1995

Ethics code and neuropsychological assessment practices.

The 1992 revision of the Ethics Code of the American Psychological Association is more detailed than its predecessor. Sections with direct relevance to neuropsychological assessment practice are discussed. Commentary and specific recommendations are provided regarding the issues of avoiding harm to patients, competence of the practitioner, test validity, test interpretation, maintenance of records, use and supervision of nondoctoral personnel, forensic activities, release of raw data, documentation of results, multiple relationships, and fees. Clinicians are urged to adhere to the Ethics Code rather than to a personnel standard of professional behavior.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1995

Money matters: A meta-analytic review of the association between financial compensation and the experience and treatment of chronic pain.

Meta-analytic procedures were used to determine the relation between disability compensation and pain. Of the 157 relevant identified studies, only 32 contained quantifiable data from treatment and control groups. The majority of these exclusively examined chronic low back pain patients (72%). Overall, 136 comparisons were obtained, on the basis of 3,802 pain patients and 3,849 controls. Liberal procedures for estimating effect sizes (ESs) yielded an ES of .60 (p < .0002). Conservative procedures yielded an ES of .48 (p < .0005). Both ESs differed from zero, indicating that compensation is related to increased reports of pain and decreased treatment efficacy. These results are interpreted in light of current models of pain. Health policy implications are also discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Evaluation of an efficient method for verifying higher educational credentials.

Neuropsychologists do not routinely verify patient's self-reported educational information. The present investigation attempted to validate a procedure for verifying educational credentials by phone. Of the 50 subjects representing 38 colleges that participated in this study, the attainment of baccalaureate degrees of only 6% could not be immediately verified by phone. All 19 schools given fictitious information reported they had no record of the fictitious student's attendance. The results of this study suggest that telephoning is an efficient method for verifying higher educational credentials. The authors recommend routine screening of patients whose academic credentials are questionable.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1994

Psychological correlates of psychogenic seizures.

Psychological correlates of psychogenic seizures were studied. The MMPI, Portland Digit Recognition Test (PDRT; a forced choice measure of motivation), disability status, Face-Hand Test, and Finger Agnosia were compared in 53 patients with medically intractable seizure disorders who underwent intensive EEG monitoring. Using conventional neurologic criteria, 64% had diagnoses of epileptic seizures (ES) and 36% had psychogenic seizures (PS). PS patients were significantly higher in number of somatoform MMPI profiles and likelihood of applying for financial benefits, and significantly lower on the PDRT. PS patients made more Finger Agnosia errors. Differences on the Face-Hand Test were of borderline significance. The results support the existence of multiple psychometric correlates of PS.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Assessment of malingering after mild head trauma with the Portland Digit Recognition Test.

The Portland Digit Recognition Test (PDRT), a forced-choice measure of recognition memory designed for the purpose of assessing the possibility of malingering, was administered to two groups of clinically referred patients seeking financial compensation for injuries including a mild head trauma group and a brain dysfunction group and also to a third group with brain dysfunction not seeking compensation. The three groups were equated on verbal acquisition ability. The two groups seeking remuneration were impaired on the PDRT compared with the group not seeking compensation, and the brain dysfunction group seeking compensation was superior to the mild head trauma group. Cut-off scores were established for the group with brain dysfunction not seeking compensation, and 33% of the mild head trauma group and 18% of the brain dysfunction group seeking compensation fell below the cut-offs. Significantly below chance scores were found in 17% and 3% of the two groups seeking compensation, respectively. Difficult PDRT items were more sensitive than easy items to compensation-related deficit. The PDRT is recommended as a measure of exaggeration of memory deficits.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

The Rey AVLT recognition memory task measures motivational impairment after mild head trauma.

The effect of financial incentives on Rey AVLT recognition memory performance was assessed. Clinically referred mild head trauma (MHT) patients with financial incentives were compared to patients with neurologically documented brain dysfunction who did not have financial incentives. The MHT group was subdivided into a group with strong performance on a measure of motivation, the Portland Digit Recognition Test (PDRT), and a group with weak performance on the PDRT. The resulting three groups were equated on Rey AVLT acquisition, age, and education. The MHT subgroup with poor PDRT scores also was significantly impaired on recognition memory. In the total sample the prevalence of recognition scores of less than 6 correct was 27% in the MHT group and 5% in the brain dysfunction group. We conclude that severe Rey AVLT recognition memory impairment likely reflects motivation to exaggerate deficits, at least in MHT patients with no neurological evidence of brain injury.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1992

Forced-choice testing provides evidence of malingering.

Assessment of motivation using forced-choice testing is described and illustrated with case reports. Two injured workers with protracted disability complained of numbness and loss of sensation in their fingers. Each patient received a forced-choice, multiple-choice finger graphesthesia test, with a 0.5 probability of guessing correctly on each item. Both patients performed significantly below the chance level, indicating that they had deliberately provided wrong answers. One patient did not exaggerate until the difficulty level of the task was enhanced. Forced-choice testing, particularly with enhancement of difficulty levels, is proposed as a specific measure to detect faked poor performance. Identification of malingering reduces the risk of iatrogenic damage. The subjective complaints of malingerers must be viewed with skepticism.

Accidents, Occupational↗
PubMed1992

Malingering detected by forced choice testing of memory and tactile sensation: a case report.

A man with a possible diagnosis of multiple sclerosis was evaluated in connection with his claim for Social Security Disability. Two neurological examinations had revealed essentially normal findings. Neuropsychological testing revealed moderately severe deficits, but testing of his motivation with two forced choice measures, the Portland Digit Recognition Test and a finger graphesthesia procedure, both yielded performances significantly worse than chance. It was concluded that the patient was faking some or all of his deficits, and that his abilities had not been measured accurately. Forced choice testing is a robust procedure for documenting poor motivation.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1987

Appropriate reporting of Wechsler IQ and subtest scores in assessments for disability.

Neuropsychological reports for disability claimants should be written with reference to definitions of disability. The exclusive use of age-corrected scaled scores on the Wechsler scales places the older claimant in an unfairly favorable light. IQ scores should be reported when actual or estimated IQ loss is greater than 14 points because the Social Security Administration definitions of disability include this finding as a criterion.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1987

Neuropsychological evidence of a factitious memory complaint.

The authors describe a patient who complained of a severe memory loss. Information gathered from the history, interview, and testing suggested malingering. The patient was then assessed by a strategy called Symptom Validity Testing. Her score was statistically worse than chance, which provided compelling evidence that she was faking bad.

Amnesia↗
PubMed1986

Cognitive deficits among functionally psychotic patients: a rehabilitative perspective.

Psychological and neuropsychological assessments of psychiatric patients are usually designed to contribute to or document psychiatric diagnoses. The present article suggests that reframing the task to focus on cognitive rehabilitation issues can contribute significantly to the treatment of the chronic patient. A test protocol is proposed and exemplary tests suggested.

Chronic Disease↗
PubMed1986

Persisting symptoms after mild head injury: a review of the postconcussive syndrome.

Seemingly mild head injuries frequently result in persisting postconcussive syndromes. The etiology of these symptoms is often controversial. Neuropsychological, neurophysiological, and neuropathological evidence that brain damage can occur in the absence of gross neurological deficits after mild injuries is reviewed. Direct impact to the head is not required to cause brain injury. Understandably, psychological factors also play a role in post-head-injury disability, but the effect of compensation claims and preinjury psychopathology is often secondary to organic factors. Persons over age 40 or with a history of previous head injury are more vulnerable to protracted symptomatology.

Amnesia↗
PubMed1982

Constructional strategies on complex figure drawings after unilateral brain damage.

The strategy used in drawing a complex geometric design was compared in right-brain-damaged (RBD) and left-brain-damaged (LBD) stroke patients and normals. A record of the sequence of line segments used to copy the design was obtained. Normals drew elements of the figure as one unit, while LBD patients broke these elements into more than one unit. The unusual sequencing and fragmented, piecemeal approach of the LBD group was sometimes associated with a delay in attention to the right side, but did not necessarily lead to an impaired finished copy. As expected, the RBD distortions were more severe. It is concluded that an intact right hemisphere does not ensure a holistic approach to copying complex geometric figures.

Aged↗
PubMed1982

Behavioral effects of superficial temporal artery to middle cerebral artery bypass surgery: preliminary report.

We studied the neuropsychologic effect of the superficial temporal artery to middle cerebral artery bypass procedure. Nineteen patients with disease (12 surgical and 7 medical therapy) of the anterior carotid circulation were evaluated by neuropsychologic tests with an average test-retest interval of 8 weeks. The 12 surgical and 7 medical patients were comparable in age, education, and preoperative test scores. All surgical patients achieved patency of anastomosis. Both groups improved on some measures and there were no significant differences between groups over time. No patients have deteriorated. The results were compatible with either a spontaneous remission or a practice effect interpretation.

Cerebral Revascularization↗