Two of the most widely used measures for the assessment of malingering in forensic populations are the Miller Forensic Assessment of Symptoms Test (M-FAST) and the Structured Interview of Reported Symptoms (SIRS). The underlying dimensions of the SIRS have been well established in the literature, but the structure of the M-FAST remains relatively untested. Understanding of its dimensions is critical for construct validity and guiding its proper use. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to provide evidence of a single parsimonious malingering factor to account for the covariation of the M-FAST items in a sample of 244 forensic patients. In addition, the model was cross-validated with an independent sample of 210 forensic patients. Finally, the M-FAST factor was modeled in conjunction with two factors of the SIRS. Results provide further validation of the underlying detection strategy found in the M-FAST.
American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed., text revision). Washington, DC: Author.
2.
Butcher, J.N., Dahlstrom, W.G., Graham, J.R., Tellegen, A., & Kaemmer, B. (1989). MMPI-2 manual for administration and scoring. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.
Crawford, E., Greene, R., Dupart, T., Bongar, B., & Childs, H. (2006). MMPI-2 assessment of malingered emotional distress related to a workplace injury: A mixed group validation. Journal of Personality Assessment, 86, 217-221.
5.
Crawford, J., & Henry, J.D. (2003). The Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS): Normative data and latent structure in a large non-clinical sample. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 42, 111-131.
6.
Flora, D.B., & Curran, P.J. (2004). An empirical evaluation of alternative methods of estimation of confirmatory factor analysis with ordinal data. Psychological Methods, 9, 466-491.
7.
Greene, R.L. (2000). The MMPI-2: An interpretive manual. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
8.
Guy, L.S., Kwartner, P.P., & Miller, H.A. (2006). Investigating the M-FAST: Psychometric properties and utility to detect diagnostic specific malingering. Behavioral Sciences and the Law, 24, 687-702.
9.
Guy, L.S., & Miller, H.A. (2004). Screening for malingered psychopathology in a correctional setting: Utility of the Miller-Forensic Assessment of Symptoms Test (M-FAST). Criminal Justice and Behavior, 31, 695-716.
10.
Hare, R.D., & Neumann, C.S. (2006). The PCL-R assessment of psychopathy: Development, structural properties, and new directions. In C. Patrick (Ed.), Handbook of psychopathy (pp. 58-88). New York: John Wiley.
11.
Hu, L., & Bentler, P.M. (1999). Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis: Conventional criteria versus new alternatives. Structural Equation Modeling, 6, 1-55.
12.
Jackson, R.L., Rogers, R., & Sewell, K.W. (2005). Forensic applications of the Miller Forensic Assessment of Symptoms Test (M-FAST): Screening for feigned disorders in competency to stand trial evaluations. Law and Human Behavior, 29, 199-210.
13.
Lanyon, R.I. (2001). Dimensions of self-serving misrepresentation in forensic assessment. Journal of Personality Assessment, 76, 169-179.
14.
Lanyon, R.I. (2003). Manual for the Psychological Screening Inventory . Port Huron, MI: Sigma Assessment Systems.
15.
Marsh, H.W., Hau, K.T., & Wen, Z. (2004). In search of gold rules: Comment on hypothesis-testing approaches to setting cutoff values for fit indexes and dangers in overgeneralizing Hu and Bentler's 1999 findings. Structural Equation Modeling: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 11, 320-341.
16.
Miller, H.A. (2001). M-FAST: Miller-Forensic Assessment of Symptoms Test professional manual. Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources.
17.
Miller, H.A. (2005). The Miller-Forensic Assessment of Symptoms Test (M-Fast): Test generalizability and utility across race, literacy, and clinical opinion. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 32, 591-611
18.
Muthèn, L.K., & Muthèn, B.O. (2001). Mplus user's guide. Los Angeles : Muthèn & Muthèn.
Norris, N., & May, M. (1998). Screening for malingering in a correctional setting . Law and Human Behavior, 22, 315-323.
21.
Paulhus, D.L. (1994). Manual for the Balanced Inventory of Desirable Responding. Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Multi-Health systems.
22.
Rogers, R. (1984). Toward an empirical model of malingering and deception . Behavioral Sciences and the Law, 2, 93-112.
23.
Rogers, R. (2001). Handbook of diagnostic and structured interviewing . New York: Guilford.
24.
Rogers, R., Bagby, R.M., & Dickens, S.E. (1992). Structured Interview of Reported Symptoms (SIRS) professional manual. Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources.
25.
Rogers, R., & Bender, S.D. (2003). Evaluation of malingering and deception. In A. Goldstein (Ed.), Handbook of psychology: Forensic psychology (Vol. 11, pp. 109-129). New York: John Wiley.
26.
Rogers, R., & Cruise, K.R. (1998). Assessment of malingering with simulation designs: Threats to external validity. Law and Human Behavior, 22, 273-285.
27.
Rogers, R., Jackson, R.L., Sewell, K.W., & Harrison, K.S. (2004). An examination of the ECST-R as a screen for feigned incompetency to stand trial. Psychological Assessment, 16, 139-145.
28.
Rogers, R., Jackson, R.L., Sewell, K.W., & Salekin, K.L. (2005). Detection strategies for malingering: A confirmatory factor analysis of the SIRS. Criminal Justice and Behavior , 32, 511-525.
29.
Vitacco, M.J., Rogers, R., Gabel, J., & Munizza, J. (2007). An evaluation of malingering screens with competency to stand trial patients: A known-groups comparison. Law and Human Behavior, 31, 249-260.
