Frank Kodman

A preliminary study of the personality characteristics of auditory malingerers.

This study was concerned with the personality characteristics of hearing impaired malingerers and hearing impaired non-malingerers. The following were the major findings:1. The data confirm the first hypothesis that the personality of the malingerer differs from that of the non-malingerer. Both groups are in the direction of the neurotic with the malingerer accentuating this feature to a higher degree. The malingerer also manifested a greater number of psychosomatic complaints.2. The results tend to confirm the previous studies which showed that the F and K scales have difficulty in distinguishing between malingerers and non-malingerers when the individuals are attempting to cover up their personality abnormalities. This would be more true of the malingerer than of the normal.3. A follow up of the personality differences will be made and a scale developed for detecting auditory malingerers. If the validity of the scale can be established it will then be extended for use with malingerers in general.

Perceptual-Motor Learning with Moderately Retarded Persons.

A visual-motor learning study was undertaken with 12 cultural-familial and 12 organic institutionalized retarded individuals to determine if organic signs on the Bender-Gestalt visual-motor test could be reversed. Statistically significant improvement was obtained with each group after 30 hr. of training. The results were discussed in relation to perceptual-motor regression and its potential for reversibility. Incorporating perceptual-motor regression exercises into the regular school program was suggested as an adjunct to current social and communication goals.