An investigation of the relationship between self-report of memory functioning and memory test performance

Memory complaints are some of the most common cognitive problems presented to clinical psychologists and neuropsychologists. However, the probable validity of memory complaints presented to a psychologist rarely has been validated by objective memory tests. Using the Memory Functioning Questionnaire (MFQ; Gilewski et al., 1983), 62 relatively young adults reported the extent to which they were experiencing various types of memory problems. These data were compared with findings of memory and non-memory tests on an expanded Halstead-Reitan test battery and with the MMPI/MMPI-2. Results showed that with the exception of persons with more than one MMPI/MMPI-2 evaluation, memory complaints were not related more to memory than to non-memory tests.