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Explanatory models of malingering

A prototypical analysis

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Law and Human Behavior

Abstract

Rogers (1990a, 1990b) proposed three models to explain why certain persons malinger mental illness: pathogenic, criminological, and adaptational. Highly experinced forensic experts (N=320) performed prototypical ratings on attributes associated with each model: the highest ratings were given to the adaptational model. In addition, a principal components analysis provided initial empirical support for these three explanatory models. The relevance of these findings to theory and clinical practice is discussed.

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Additional information

The authors would like to thank the American Academy of Forensic Psychologists for its vital cooperation with the study and Psychological Assessment Resources for its financial contribution to the subject incentives. The project was supported by a ROP Faculty Research Grant from the University of North Texas to the first author.

John Jay College.

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Rogers, R., Sewell, K.W. & Goldstein, A.M. Explanatory models of malingering. Law Hum Behav 18, 543–552 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01499173

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