Virtuous victims: Disability claimants who over- and under-report

Abstract

Objective: The present study was the first to investigate the test performance and symptom reports of individuals who engage in both over-reporting (i.e., exaggerating or fabricating symptoms) and under-reporting (i.e., exaggerating positive qualities or denying shortcomings) in the context of a forensic evaluation. We focused on comparing individuals who over- and under-reported (OR + UR) with those who only over-reported (OR-only) on the MMPI-3. Method: Using a disability claimant sample referred for comprehensive psychological evaluations (n = 848), the present study first determined the rates of possible over-reporting (MMPI-3 F ≥ 75 T, Fp ≥ 70 T, Fs ≥ 100 T, or FBS or RBS ≥ 90 T) with (n = 42) and without (n = 332) under-reporting (L ≥ 65 T). Next, we examined group mean differences on MMPI-3 substantive scale scores and scores on several additional measures completed by the disability claimant sample during their evaluation. Results: The small group of individuals identified as both over-reporting and under-reporting (OR + UR) scored meaningfully higher than the OR-only group on several over- and under-reporting symptom validity tests, as well as on measures of emotional and cognitive/somatic complaints, but lower on externalizing measures. The OR + UR group also performed significantly worse than the OR-only group on several performance validity tests and measures of cognitive ability. Conclusions: The present study indicated that disability claimants who engage in simultaneous over- and under-reporting portray themselves as having greater levels of dysfunction but fewer externalizing tendencies relative to claimants who only over-report; however, these portrayals are likely less accurate reflections of their true functioning.

Keywords: MMPI-3; disability claimant; overreporting; response styles; underreporting.