The Impact of Self-Efficacy and Health Locus of Control on Performance Validity Testing

Objective: Recent research has examined potential influences to performance validity testing beyond intentional feigning. The current study sought to examine the hypothesized relationships of two psychological constructs (self-efficacy and health locus of control) with performance validity testing (PVT).

Method: Retrospective review of 158 mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) cases referred to an Army outpatient clinic for neuropsychological evaluation. The mTBI cases were classified according to passing or failing the Medical Symptom Validity Test (MSVT) or Non-Verbal Medical Symptom Validity Test (NV-MSVT). Group comparisons were performed utilizing one-way ANOVA to evaluate the differences between the PVT-Pass and PVT-Fail groups on self-efficacy (MMPI-2-RF Inefficacy scale) and locus of control (Multi-Dimensional Health Locus of Control).

Results: There was no relationship between self-efficacy or health locus of control and passing/failing PVTs.

Conclusions: Further research is warranted to explore potential influences on PVT performance, which we conceptualize as analogous to experimental nuisance variables that may be amenable to intervention.