TY - JOUR
T1 - The use of psychological tests to identify malingered symptoms of mental disorder
AU - Schretlen, David J.
N1 - Funding Information:
Malingering refers to the “intentional production of false or greatly exaggerated physical or psychological symptoms, motivated by external incentives such as avoiding military conscription or duty, obtaining drugs, or securing better living conditions” (APA, 1987, p. 360). Both the intentional nature and the presence of external incentives differentiate malingering from conversion and somatoform disorders. Malingering must also be differentiated from factitious disorder. In factitious disorder the symptoms are voluntarily produced, but presented without an obvious external incentive. Moreover, the simulation has a compulsive quality; Preparation of this manuscript was supported in part by National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research Grant 133FH70013.
Copyright:
Copyright 2014 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 1988
Y1 - 1988
N2 - The differentiation between malingered and genuine mental disorders presents difficult problems to various medical and legal settings. This review describes the research designs that have characterized empirical studies of faking on psychological tests. Specific detection strategies for intelligence tests and three personality tests (Rorschach, MMPI, and Bender-Gestalt) are described. Where possible, the accuracy with which each test can detect three, frequently malingered conditions (mental deficiency, psychosis, and neurologic impairment) is described. The majority of studies show that psychological tests can accurately detect faking. Test batteries yield more accurate predictions than single tests, and simulated mental deficiency appears to be the most easily detected condition. The findings suggest that, until research validates use of the diagnostic interview for this purpose, it is probably indefensible to render expert testimony regarding the likelihood of malingering without psychological test data bearing on this question.
AB - The differentiation between malingered and genuine mental disorders presents difficult problems to various medical and legal settings. This review describes the research designs that have characterized empirical studies of faking on psychological tests. Specific detection strategies for intelligence tests and three personality tests (Rorschach, MMPI, and Bender-Gestalt) are described. Where possible, the accuracy with which each test can detect three, frequently malingered conditions (mental deficiency, psychosis, and neurologic impairment) is described. The majority of studies show that psychological tests can accurately detect faking. Test batteries yield more accurate predictions than single tests, and simulated mental deficiency appears to be the most easily detected condition. The findings suggest that, until research validates use of the diagnostic interview for this purpose, it is probably indefensible to render expert testimony regarding the likelihood of malingering without psychological test data bearing on this question.
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U2 - 10.1016/0272-7358(88)90074-8
DO - 10.1016/0272-7358(88)90074-8
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0023781722
SN - 0272-7358
VL - 8
SP - 451
EP - 476
JO - Clinical Psychology Review
JF - Clinical Psychology Review
IS - 5
ER -