Detecting the Malingering of Psychosis in Offenders:

Abstract

The feigning of a major mental illness is especially likely to occur in criminal forensic contexts. In particular, malingered psychosis is appealing to defendants and often troublesome for examiners. In spite of major improvement in both clinical interviewing techniques and psychological tests (the examiner's main defenses against deception), there is still no foolproof detection method. The author discusses the strengths and weaknesses in common approaches, the most recent innovations, and recommends an electic approach to forensic examinations, as well as special sensitivity to the problem of false positives.