Evaluating malingering in contested injury or illness.
An interdisciplinary task force of physicians and neuropsychologists with advanced training in impairment and disability assessment provided a review of the literature on malingering in chronic pain, medical disorders, and mental/cognitive disorders. Our review suggests that treating health care providers often do not consider malingering, even in cases of delayed recovery involving work injuries or other personal injuries, where there may be a significant incentive to feign or embellish symptoms or delay recovery. This report discusses the implications of this issue and offers recommendations to evaluating physicians and other health care professionals.
Aronoff
Gerald M
GM
Duke University Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry, Pain Evaluation and Treatment Service, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. geraldaronoffmd@msn.com
Mandel
Steven
S
Genovese
Elizabeth
E
Maitz
Edward A
EA
Dorto
Anthony J
AJ
Klimek
Edwin H
EH
Staats
Thomas E
TE
D004185:Disability Evaluation; D006801:Humans; D008306:Malingering / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010146:Pain / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010808:Physical Examination; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012803:Sick Role; D014942:Workers' Compensation