Cross-Cultural Performance of the TOMM 2 and Dot Counting Test in Mexico: Implications for Forensic Assessment

A growing body of research has demonstrated variable performance on validity assessment measures among individuals from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. This experimental feigning study examined the classification accuracy of the revised Test of Memory Malingering (TOMM 2) and the Dot Counting Test (DCT). Participants were recruited in Mexico City and included a community control group (n = 49), a community group instructed to feign psychosis (n = 33), and a clinical control group of individuals receiving inpatient and outpatient mental health services (n = 27). Results revealed significant differences in TOMM 2 performance, with the experimental feigning group scoring lower than the community and clinical control samples. While the TOMM 2 < 45 cutoff demonstrated adequate sensitivity (Trial 2 = 66.7%), specificity was 100% in the community control group and 88.9% in the clinical control sample. The DCT E-scores showed reduced accuracy when comparing across groups, and only DCT E-scores were significantly associated with education. Findings support caution when applying universal cut scores to Spanish-speaking Mexican adults with psychosis-related presentations.