title: Evading detection on the MMPI-2: does caution produce more realistic patterns of responding?
abstract: Studies on MMPI and MMPI-2 malingering indexes often sacrifice generalizability in an attempt to control internal validity. This study improves external validity while still maintaining internal validity by providing graduate student participants with a realistic context for malingering on the MMPI-2 (n=94) and MMPI (n=30). Contextual parameters include a realistic life predicament, psychological knowledge, an incentive, the presence versus absence of a specific diagnosis, and a caution to be realistic. This study found that cautioning participants not to overexaggerate their responses significantly improves their ability to evade detection on the MMPI-2 and MMPI. Standard malingering indexes (Infrequency, F; Back Side, F, Fb; F-Correction, F-K; and Infrequency-Psychopathology, F(p)) were insufficiently sensitive in identifying simulators using common cutoff scores for these cautious simulators.
authors.affiliation: Clinical PsyD Program, California School of Professional Psychology, San Diego and Alliant University, 92121, USA.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Viglione
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: N T
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Dizon
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Moynihan
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: DuPuis
authors.forename: T D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Pizitz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008950:MMPI; D008297:Male; D008306:Malingering / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016544:Patient Simulation; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires