Comparison of MMPI-2 and PAI validity indicators to detect feigned depression and PTSD symptom reporting.
The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical utility of PAI and MMPI-2 validity indicators to detect exaggeration of psychological symptoms. Participants were 49 (75.5% female) Australian university students who completed the MMPI-2 and PAI under one of three conditions: Control [i.e., honest responding (n=20)], Feign Post Traumatic Stress Disorder [PTSD (n=15)], or Feign Depression (n=14). Participants instructed to feign depression or feign PTSD had significantly higher scores on the majority of MMPI-2 and PAI validity indicators compared with controls. The Meyers Validity Index, the Obvious-Subtle index, and the Response Bias Scale were the most accurate MMPI-2 validity indicators. Diagnostic-specific MMPI-2 validity indicators, such as the Infrequency-PSTD scales and Malingered Depression scale, were not effective at detecting participants instructed to feign those conditions. For the PAI, the most accurate validity indicator was the MAL index; however, the detection rate using this validity indicator was modest at best. The MMPI-2 validity indicators were clearly superior to those on the PAI at identifying feigned versus honest responding in this sample.
Lange
Rael T
RT
Department of Research, BC Mental Health and Addiction Services, Vancouver, Canada. rlange@bcmhs.bc.ca
Sullivan
Karen A
KA
Scott
Clinton
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D008192:Deception; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005555:Forensic Psychiatry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult