Detection of feigned crime-related amnesia: A multi-method approach

P. Giger; T. Merten; H.L.G.J. Merckelbach; M. Oswald

doi:10.1080/15228932.2010.489875

Detection of feigned crime-related amnesia: A multi-method approach

P. Giger^*, T. Merten, H.L.G.J. Merckelbach, M. Oswald

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Claims of crime-related amnesia appear to be common. Using a mock crime approach, the diagnostic power of seven symptom validity instruments was investigated. Sixty participants were assigned to three conditions: responding honestly; feigning crime-related amnesia; feigning amnesia with a warning not to exaggerate. High sensitivity and specificity were obtained for the Structured Inventory of Malingered Symptomatology, the Amsterdam Short-Term Memory Test, and the Morel Emotional Numbing Test. Only three warned malingerers went undetected. The results demonstrate that validated instruments exist to support forensic decision making about crime-related amnesia. Yet, warning may undermine their effectiveness, even when using a multi-method approach.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	440-463
Number of pages	24
Journal	Journal of Forensic Psychology Practice
Volume	10
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/15228932.2010.489875
Publication status	Published - 1 Jan 2010

Keywords

HEAD-INJURY
MALINGERED NEUROCOGNITIVE DYSFUNCTION
MMPI-2
POSTTRAUMATIC-STRESS-DISORDER
RESPONSE BIAS
SCALE
SYMPTOM VALIDITY TEST
TESTS
VALIDATION
WORD MEMORY TEST
coaching
crime-related amnesia
malingering
symptom overgeneralization
symptom validity testing

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10.1080/15228932.2010.489875

Cite this

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title = "Detection of feigned crime-related amnesia: A multi-method approach",

abstract = "Claims of crime-related amnesia appear to be common. Using a mock crime approach, the diagnostic power of seven symptom validity instruments was investigated. Sixty participants were assigned to three conditions: responding honestly; feigning crime-related amnesia; feigning amnesia with a warning not to exaggerate. High sensitivity and specificity were obtained for the Structured Inventory of Malingered Symptomatology, the Amsterdam Short-Term Memory Test, and the Morel Emotional Numbing Test. Only three warned malingerers went undetected. The results demonstrate that validated instruments exist to support forensic decision making about crime-related amnesia. Yet, warning may undermine their effectiveness, even when using a multi-method approach.",

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