ABSTRACT
As this background demonstrates, the accurate assessment of malingering-related response styles is critical. False positives can result in individuals with bona de mental illnesses proceeding to trial before they receive appropriate mental health treatment. Additionally, false positives can and oen do result in bona de mental health symptoms continuing unabated due to clinicians’ reticence to treat symptoms viewed as potentially fabricated. False negatives result in the unnecessary allocation of scarce mental health
resources to individuals more interested in avoiding trial or improperly gaining nancial compensation, who may not be in need of the treatment provided. Given the ramications associated with a diagnosis of malingering, its accurate assessment is of paramount importance to ensure just legal ndings across judicial proceedings. To that end, forensic mental health professionals have an ethical responsibility to rely on the most reliable and valid methodologies available in order to provide accurate information to the trier of fact.
