Effects of severe depression on TOMM performance among disability-seeking outpatients

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of severe depression on the Test of Memory Malingering (TOMM). The present study examined whether 20 participants with high levels of depression, as measured by the Beck Depression Inventory 2nd Edition (BDI-II) and with current diagnoses of Major Depressive Disorder, would perform significantly worse on the TOMM than a control group. The results showed that the depressed and control groups did not have significant mean group differences on TOMM performance. Of the 20 depressed participants, only 2 on Trial 2 and 1 on the Retention Trial scored below the cutoff of 45, while none of the control participants performed in this range. The potential ameliorating effects of medications on the performance of the depressed group are discussed. The results indicate that the TOMM can be used with even severely depressed participants with only slight caution.