Assessment instruments measuring malingering used with individuals who have mental retardation: potential problems and issues

Abstract

Malingering, the exaggeration or fabrication of physical and/or psychological symptoms, can threaten the psychological assessment process (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). To enhance the validity of psychological evaluations, researchers have studied trends in malingering and developed instruments for its detection (Rogers, Bagby, & Dickens, 1992; Tombaugh, 1996). These instruments, however, may not be appropriate for individuals with significant subaverage intellectual functioning. Four instruments assessing malingering, frequently used in forensic evaluations, were administered to individuals with mental retardation. Results show that by utilizing established cut-off scores, we were able to classify a significant percentage of participants as "malingering," in spite of directions to perform optimally. Practical implications as well as directions for future research are discussed.