Improving Prediction of Brain Damage with the Tactile Performance Test for a Psychiatric Population

Abstract

The Reitan-Halstead Organic Test Battery has been found of little practical value in general psychiatric populations in that it does not separate hospitalized organics from schizophrenics. An attempt was made to improve such discrimination through the application of response-contingent censure for poor performance during administration of one test from this battery. Ss were 48 hospitalized patients diagnosed schizophrenic reaction or brain syndrome. The Tactile Performance Test was administered to half of each group under standard administration conditions and to the other half under conditions of response-contingent censure. Under the latter condition there was a significant difference in performance by the groups, fewer schizophrenics scoring within the brain-damaged range.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Becker

W. M.

A genetic approach to the interpretation and evaluation of the process-reactive distinction in schizophrenia. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 1956, 53, 229–236. [First published reference to the scale; scale is unpublished.]

Reitan

R. M.

Investigation of the validity of Halstead's measures of biological intelligence. A.M.A. Archives of Neurology and Psychiatry, 1955, 73, 28–35.

Silverman

Psychological deficit reduction in schizophrenia through response-contingent noxious reinforcement. Psychological Reports, 1963, 13, 187–210.

Strain

G. S.

, & Kinzie

W. B.

Improvement in performance of schizophrenic patients on a test for brain damage. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 1969, in press.

Watson

C. G.

Thomas

R. W.

Anderson

, & Felling

Differentiation of organics from schizophrenics at two chronicity levels by use of the Reitan-Halstead Organic Test Battery. Journal of Clinical and Consulting Psychology, 1968, 32, 679–684.