Detecting Malingered Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Using the Morel Emotional Numbing Test-Revised (MENT-R) and the Miller Forensic Assessment of Symptoms Test (M-FAST)

ABSTRACT

The present study investigated the utility of two assessment measures in detecting malingered posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD): The Morel Emotional Numbing Test-Revised (MENT-R) and the Miller Forensic Assessment of Symptoms Test (M-FAST). The Detailed Assessment of Posttraumatic Stress (DAPS) was used as the criterion variable for the following groups: clinical PTSD, subclinical PTSD, honest responders, and coached malingerers. Total scores on the MENT-R distinguished among the four groups of participants. The three groups responding honestly averaged fewer than 3.5 errors, while malingerers missed over 5 times that number. Scores on the M-FAST were also higher for the group of participants malingering. Although the MENT-R and M-FAST correctly identified 63 and 78% of coached malingerers, respectively, the combined use of both measures resulted in the correct classification of over 90% of the participants instructed to malinger PTSD.

KEYWORDS:

• Malingering
• assessment
• PTSD
• MENT-R
• coaching