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M D Franzen

Publications and source records attributed to M D Franzen.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

Detecting malingered memory deficits with the Recognition Memory Test.

The purpose of the present study was to examine the efficacy of using the Recognition Memory Test (RMT) as a marker for malingered memory deficits. Data from 60 subjects, including 40 patients seen for neuropsychological evaluation and 20 university undergraduates, are reported. The university students were given experimental instructions to malinger. Students were compared to 20 memory-impaired and 20 memory-nonimpaired patients. The students who were instructed to malinger memory impairment performed more poorly than both groups of patients. Discriminant function analyses using the two scores derived from the RMT as predictors of group membership resulted in a 100% initial correct classification rate and a 96.7% correct classification rate on cross-validation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Neuropsychological function in restrained versus unrestrained motor vehicle occupants who suffer closed head injury.

It is known that using seatbelts reduces the incidence and severity of closed head injury (CHI) from motor vehicle crashes. One would expect unrestrained occupants in motor vehicle crashes to suffer more severe CHIs than restrained occupants, as reflected by Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores. One might also expect an increased risk of focal injury due to contact forces in unrestrained occupants. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that failure to use seatbelts results in increased severity of neuropsychological sequelae, even with GCS controlled. We also examined the impact of demographic variables on seatbelt use. Subjects included patients admitted to a hospital trauma service who were suspected of having suffered CHI. All patients completed neuropsychological testing, which was entered into a data base along with demographic and clinical information. People who had documented use of seatbelt restraints were compared with those who were unrestrained. Results confirmed that certain demographic variables are associated with the use of seatbelts. Results also suggested that failure to use seatbelt restraints is associated with more severe impairment on tests that are sensitive to frontal lobe dysfunction.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Using multiple objective memory procedures to detect simulated malingering.

The present study evaluated five objective assessment procedures used to detect malingered memory deficits. Twenty students and 20 psychiatric subjects completed the procedures under instructions to malinger and/or try their best. These groups were compared to 20 memory-impaired subjects who completed the procedures under instructions to try their best. While each test was able to correctly classify all of the subjects performing their best and the actual memory-impaired patients, the correct classification rates for experimental-malingerers varied from 5%-85% on the 10 scores derived from the five tests. Combining all of the cutting scores, and using deficient performance on one procedure as the criteria for classification, resulted in a 92.5% hit rate for subjects who were instructed to malinger and a 100% hit rate for the control and memory-impaired subjects who were instructed to try their best.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

The establishment of clinical cutoffs in measuring caregiver burden in dementia.

Although several scales have been developed to assess burden, their clinical utility has been limited by the absence of relevant cutoff points. Clinical data from 140 primary caregivers seeking a dementia evaluation for a family member were analyzed to establish the psychometric properties of a caregiver burden screen. Results indicate that the cutoff values were both sensitive and specific to negative caregiving outcomes. These findings suggest that use of a burden screen may assist clinicians when assessing the adequacy of caregiving arrangements in dementia.

Aged↗
PubMed1993

Impulsivity in suicidal and nonsuicidal adolescents.

Nonsuicidal and suicidal adolescent inpatients were compared to community high school students using behavioral measures of impulsivity. Measures of problem solving ability, hopelessness, and depression were also administered to all groups. The suicidal inpatients were characterized by greater impulsivity, hopelessness, and depression than both nonsuicidal inpatients and community high school students. There were no differences in problem-solving abilities found between the suicidal inpatients and either the nonsuicidal inpatients or the community controls.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Neuropsychological performance and suicidal behavior in adult psychiatric inpatients.

Although various studies have shown that suicidal persons exhibit greater cognitive deficiencies than both normals and other psychiatric patients, researchers as yet have been unable to account for the source(s) of the differences. Some of these differences (e.g., cognitive rigidity and impaired problem solving) hint of possible organic involvement. This study explored the relationship of neuropsychological functioning to suicidal behavior by comparing 20 suicidal and 27 nonsuicidal psychiatric inpatients on several tests of neuropsychological functioning. Although results showed no significant differences between the two groups on most measures, both groups showed evidence of notably high levels of cortical dysfunction relative to test norms. Thirty-five percent of suicidal patients and 44% of nonsuicidal patients scored in the impaired range. Implications of this high frequency of impairment for the treatment of suicidal and nonsuicidal psychiatric patients are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

The psychological treatment of memory impairment: a review of empirical studies.

Memory impairment is a frequent effect of many different forms of brain dysfunction. Memory impairment is also a frequent focus of treatment interventions, and there have been many different treatment methods suggested. The suggested methods include direct retraining, the use of spared skills in compensating for the impairment (alternate functional systems), and the use of behavioral strategies to circumvent the manifest memory dysfunction (behavioral prosthetics). Unfortunately, there are very few studies comparing the various suggested treatment methods. The present paper evaluates the empirical evidence related to the treatment of memory dysfunction and suggests directions for future investigations. Although the evidence is not conclusive, it appears that some forms of treatment may be helpful in remediating certain types of memory impairment. An approach likely to be productive would include some consideration of the impaired neurological and psychological mechanisms responsible for the manifest memory deficit as well as a consideration of the etiology of the injury thought to be causally related to the memory deficit. As yet, there have been no rigorous empirical evaluations of these considerations.

Amnesia↗
PubMed1990

The detection of malingering in neuropsychological assessment.

Although malingering, or the manipulation of data by the patient, is a problem commonly faced by neuropsychologists, there has been little systematic investigation of this problem. This paper reviews the literature on the detection of malingering in assessment instruments commonly used by clinical neuropsychologists. Criticism of previous research is discussed, and suggestions are made both for future research and for clinical practice.

Brain Damage, Chronic↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Delusional reduplication following closed-head injury.

Somatic delusions following brain injury are not uncommon, and have been well documented in the literature. This study documents a case of somatic delusion which was seen in a patient following a head injury secondary to a motorcycle accident. Although perhaps not typical it serves to illustrate an interesting example of a somatic delusion following head trauma. On recovery from coma this patient reported the existence of a 'third arm' adjacent to the limb that had received the greatest impact in the accident. The patient was unreceptive to any counter-persuasions and in fact remained largely unconcerned about this addition to his anatomy. A thorough neuropsychological evaluation was carried out in an attempt to seek an explanation for this phenomenon. The results suggest that the phenomenon has at least a partly psychiatric aetiology rather than a purely neurological foundation.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Neuropsychological rehabilitation: application of a modified multiple baseline design.

The treatment of brain impairment following traumatic injury has proliferated in the past few years. Because many proposed treatment methods have not yet been proven, an important aspect of each treatment attempt is the evaluation of possible gains derived as a result of treatment. A modified multiple baseline design has been suggested as a means of partialing out extraneous influences in the assessment of treatment effects. This paper presents data from the application of a modified multiple baseline design to the treatment of memory and abstraction deficits in a young man who had experienced a closed head injury. Both psychometric-nomothetic and idiographic data are presented and discussed.

Adult↗