Validity of the Hunt-Minnesota Test for Organic Brain Damage

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Malamud, Rachel F.
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0021-9010
• DOI: 10.1037/h0053734
• 发表日期: 1946
• 页码: 271-275

摘要

The Hunt-Minnesota Test consists of 3 divisions: (1) a vocabulary test relatively insensitive to brain damage, (2) a group of tests sensitive to deterioration, and (3) a group of 9 interpolated tests. The vocabulary score, taken with consideration of the subjects'' age, is supposed to determine the score level at which he is expected to function on the sensitive tests. The deterioration scores determine the actual level at which he is functioning. A T-Score above 66 signifies organic brain damage. To be perfectly certain of this diagnosis, the interpolated tests are used as a check on the attentive ability and cooperation of subjects making high T-Scores. Hunt found the test highly satisfactory in differentiating 33 known organic cases from 41 non-organic controls. When the present author gave the test to members of the psychology department at Norwich State Hospital the results tagged 6 of 10 as suffering brain damage. The test was then administered to 64 supposedly normal hospital employees to determine the extent of false positive leads. Contrary to Hunt''s finding of 9.7%, the author''s figure was 54.7%. Even eliminating 29 cases with higher vocabulary scores then the maximally advised limit of 32, 57% of the group still showed organic scores. Even by studying only the cases which took a short form, rather than the long form of the test, 48% had organic scores. These discrepancies can be explained possibly by reasoning that the time limits imposed by the deteriorations section to make proper associations is too short for many normal subjects. If such is the case, the test needs revaluations on both normal and organic subjects. Since so many false positives are possible, the tests'' diagnostic validity is seriously in question.