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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2007;25(4):545-60.
doi: 10.1002/bsl.735.

Can defendants with mental retardation successfully fake their performance on a test of competence to stand trial?

Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Can defendants with mental retardation successfully fake their performance on a test of competence to stand trial?

Caroline Everington et al. Behav Sci Law. 2007.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine whether criminal defendants with mental retardation can feign poor performance on a test of competence to stand trial. Four groups of adjudicated criminal defendants were given a test of competence to stand trial. In the experimental condition, defendants with mental retardation (MR) and mentally typical defendants (non-MR) were given instructions to fake their performance on the test. In the control, MR defendants and non-MR defendants took the test under standard conditions. The results indicated that both the MR and non-MR fakers scored significantly lower than the MR and non-MR controls. There was no significant difference in the scores of the MR and non-MR fakers. The results suggest that defendants with mental retardation may be able to successfully fake their performance in certain circumstances. Implications of these findings are discussed.

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