title: Measuring symptom exaggeration in veterans with chronic posttraumatic stress disorder.
abstract: Veteran subjects with chronic, combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are frequently used as research subjects in the study of PTSD. However, questions have consistently been raised regarding PTSD symptom exaggeration in veteran populations due to the relationship between PTSD symptoms and disability payments within the Veterans Affairs (VA) system. We used a variety of standardized forensic instruments frequently utilized in measuring symptom exaggeration - including the MMPI-2, the Structured Interview for Reported Symptoms (SIRS), the Structured Inventory of Malingered Symptomatology (SIMS), and the Miller Forensic Assessment Test (MFAST) - to examine symptom report in a group of veterans presenting for treatment at a VA residential PTSD treatment program. The majority of Vietnam veteran subjects in our study (53%) exhibited clear symptom exaggeration by SIRS criteria. Within the entire subject group, total SIRS scores correlated significantly with reported PTSD symptom severity as measured by the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS).
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Service, Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, Little Rock, AR 72205-5484, USA. THOMAS.FREEMAN@MED.VA.GOV <THOMAS.FREEMAN@MED.VA.GOV>
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Freeman
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Powell
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kimbrell
mesh_terms: D002908:Chronic Disease; D003130:Combat Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D005555:Forensic Psychiatry / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008950:MMPI / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008306:Malingering / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D012114:Residential Treatment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D014481:United States; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014729:Veterans Disability Claims / Q000592:standards; D047829:Vietnam Conflict