Lowered cutoffs to reduce false positives on the Word Memory Test.

To adjust the decision criterion for the Word Memory Test (WMT, Green, 2003) to minimize the frequency of false positives. Archival data were combined into a database ( Each examinee was administered the WMT, as well as on average 5.5 (SD = 2.5) other PVTs. Based on the original scoring rules of the WMT, 31.8% of examinees failed. Using a single failure on the criterion PVT (C-PVT), the base rate of failure was 45.9%. When requiring two or more failures on the C-PVT, the failure rate dropped to 22.8%. Applying a contingency analysis (i.e., X Results supported lowering of the cut score for correct responding from 82.5% to 77.5% correct. We also recommend discontinuing the use of the Consistency subtest score in the determination of WMT failure.