Assessing feigning with the Feigning Evaluation INtegrating Sources (FEINS) in a forensic psychiatric sample.

Abstract

Evaluators of examinees in forensic contexts must consider the potential for falsified or exaggerated psychiatric symptoms and/or cognitive deficits. A number of validated assessment tools assist evaluators in identifying those examinees who feign impairment; however, no comprehensive method has been established for consolidating data from multiple tests, interviews, behavioral observations, and collateral sources. The current pilot study preliminarily examined the interrater reliability and validity of a new forensic assessment tool, the Feigning Evaluation INtegrating Sources (FEINS), developed to guide evaluators in the comprehensive assessment of feigning by adding structure to the collection of relevant data. Fifty-eight male pretrial defendants undergoing restoration of competency to stand trial at a state forensic psychiatric center participated in the study. Results provided preliminary support for reliability in scoring the FEINS, construct validity, and predictive validity. FEINS items that assessed clinical presentation, and those that guided the use of test data, were more useful than items capturing historical/demographic data. Structured professional judgments developed using the FEINS appeared to be more accurate in predicting competency evaluators’ perceptions of feigning than both unstructured clinical judgment (i.e., referring psychologist’s perception of feigning) alone and test data alone, using hierarchical multiple regressions. Findings suggest that the FEINS may have practical utility in guiding clinical opinions regarding feigning across psychiatric, cognitive, and psycholegal/functional domains.

Suspected feigning of autism in adults: a clinician survey, indications and proposed guidelines

“…As such, any assessment of suspected feigned autism should take a multi-dimension approach and include the use of structured assessments (McDermott and Scott, 2015). The Feigning Evaluation Integrating Sources approach, which adds structure to the assessment of malingering put forward by Grossi et al (2020), may also be useful. In terms of establishing an autism diagnosis, the limitations of relying solely on the so-called “gold standard” tools (such as the ADOS, etc).…”

Legally involved individuals in state hospitals and community mental health settings: Introduction to the special section.

“…In addition to improving our current processes of CST reports, this special section also provides research in improving tools to assist in assessment processes. In this pilot study by Grossi et al (2022), the authors evaluate a new forensic assessment tool, the Feigning Evaluation INtegrating Sources (FEINS). This new instrument aims to provide individuals in forensic settings a method for evaluation of feigned impairment through the provision of a consolidated method for data collection across tests, interviews, collateral sources, and observations.…”

Neuropsychological Assessment in The Forensic Context: A Scoping Review

“…Most of the studies involved validation and analysis of psychological instruments' applicability to the forensic population, investigating constructs such as symptom validity or malingering [30][31][32][33][34][35][36] , performance validity 11,[37][38][39][40] , trial competence 41 , and psychopathy or antisocial symptoms 42 . Also, other studies investigated the validation and standardization of new instruments developed for this specific setting, regarding the assessment of memory performance 14 , executive functions in forensic populations [43][44][45][46] , social cognition 47 , feigning symptoms 48,49 and testamentary capacity in older adults 50 .…”