Verifiability on the run: an experimental study on the verifiability approach to malingered symptoms

View/ Open
Issue date
2018-06-28Suggested citation
Boskovic, Irena;
Tejada Gallardo, Claudia;
Vrij, Aldert;
Hope, Lorraine;
Merckelbach, Harald;
.
(2018)
.
Verifiability on the run: an experimental study on the verifiability approach to malingered symptoms.
Psychiatry Psychology and Law, 2019, vol. 26, núm. 1, p. 65-76.
https://doi.org/10.1080/13218719.2018.1483272.
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Several studies on the verifiability approach found that truth-tellers report more verifiable details than liars. Therefore, we wanted to test whether such a difference would emerge in the context of malingered symptoms. We obtained statements from undergraduates (N D 53) who had been allocated to three different conditions: truth-tellers, coached malingerers and na ıve malingerers. Truth-tellers carried out an intensive physical exercise and after a short interval wrote a report about their experience and elicited symptoms. The two malingering groups had to fabricate a story about the physical activity and its symptoms. Truth-tellers did not generate more verifiable details than malingerers. However, malingerers reported more non-verifiable details than truth-tellers. Coached and na ıve malingerers did not differ in this respect. Relative to truth-tellers, na ıve malingerers reported more symptoms-related nonverifiable details, while coached malingerers reported more exercise-related non-verifiable details. Focusing on non-verifiable details may inform the detection of malingered symptoms.