In order to gain a better understanding of the nature and severity of psychological injuries, it is common for injured workers to complete psychological and neuropsychological assessments. The goal of these evaluations is to provide diagnostic clarification and recommendations for treatment and return to work planning. Assessors need to ensure that their assessment results are valid and provide an accurate representation of the worker’s current symptoms and functioning. Self-report questionnaires are a common tool used by assessors. To be confident that these tools can accurately capture psychological symptoms, validity scales are included to examine for potential tendencies of test takers to under-report or over-report symptoms. Inaccurate symptom reporting may lead to errors in clinical diagnosis, resulting in risk for inappropriate treatment recommendations and prolonged recovery.
Our main research objective is to promote accurate assessment of psychological injuries due to workplace trauma by investigating the validity, and therefore, clinical utility of the TSI-2 through comparisons with well-established validity measures, specifically the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory – 2 – Restructured Form, the Word Memory Test, and the Victoria Symptom Validity Test.
By conducting an in-depth investigation of the TSI-2 in assessments of Alberta workers claiming trauma-related psychological injuries, we hope to improve diagnostic accuracy. Fair and accurate assessment are critical for guiding effective treatment and rehabilitation, which, in turn, optimizes clinical and vocational outcomes for workers.