TY - JOUR
T1 - Adaptation and initial validation of the Arabic version of the Word Memory Test (WMTARB)
AU - Bajjaleh, Christine
AU - Braw, Yoram C.
AU - Elkana, Odelia
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - Background: The feigning of cognitive impairment is common in neuropsychological assessments, especially in a medicolegal setting. The Word Memory Test (WMT) is a forced-choice recognition memory performance validity test (PVT) which is widely used to detect noncredible performance. Though translated to several languages, this was not done for one of the most common languages, Arabic. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the convergent validity of the Arabic adaptation of the WMT (WMTARB) among Israeli Arabic speakers. Methods: We adapted the WMT to Arabic using the back-translation method and in accordance with relevant guidelines. We then randomly assigned healthy Arabic speaking adults (N = 63) to either a simulation or honest control condition. The participants then performed neuropsychological tests which included the WMTARB and the Test of Memory Malingering (TOMM), a well-validated nonverbal PVT. Results: The WMTARB had high split-half reliability and its measures were significantly correlated with that of the TOMM (p <.001). High concordance was found in classification of participants using the WMTARB and TOMM (specificity = 94.29% and sensitivity = 100% using the conventional TOMM trial 2 cutoff as gold standard). As expected, simulators' accuracy on the WMTARB was significantly lower than that of honest controls. None of the demographic variables significantly correlated with WMTARB measures. Conclusion: The WMTARB shows initial evidence of reliability and validity, emphasizing its potential use in the large population of Arabic speakers and universality in detecting noncredible performance. The findings, however, are preliminary and mandate validation in clinical settings.
AB - Background: The feigning of cognitive impairment is common in neuropsychological assessments, especially in a medicolegal setting. The Word Memory Test (WMT) is a forced-choice recognition memory performance validity test (PVT) which is widely used to detect noncredible performance. Though translated to several languages, this was not done for one of the most common languages, Arabic. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the convergent validity of the Arabic adaptation of the WMT (WMTARB) among Israeli Arabic speakers. Methods: We adapted the WMT to Arabic using the back-translation method and in accordance with relevant guidelines. We then randomly assigned healthy Arabic speaking adults (N = 63) to either a simulation or honest control condition. The participants then performed neuropsychological tests which included the WMTARB and the Test of Memory Malingering (TOMM), a well-validated nonverbal PVT. Results: The WMTARB had high split-half reliability and its measures were significantly correlated with that of the TOMM (p <.001). High concordance was found in classification of participants using the WMTARB and TOMM (specificity = 94.29% and sensitivity = 100% using the conventional TOMM trial 2 cutoff as gold standard). As expected, simulators' accuracy on the WMTARB was significantly lower than that of honest controls. None of the demographic variables significantly correlated with WMTARB measures. Conclusion: The WMTARB shows initial evidence of reliability and validity, emphasizing its potential use in the large population of Arabic speakers and universality in detecting noncredible performance. The findings, however, are preliminary and mandate validation in clinical settings.
KW - Arabic
KW - Validation
KW - Word Memory Test (WMT)
KW - cross-cultural
KW - feigned cognitive impairment
KW - performance validity test (PVT)
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85106729663&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/23279095.2021.1923495
DO - 10.1080/23279095.2021.1923495
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AN - SCOPUS:85106729663
SN - 2327-9095
VL - 30
SP - 204
EP - 213
JO - Applied neuropsychology. Adult
JF - Applied neuropsychology. Adult
IS - 2
ER -