Detection of Malingered Mild Head Injury

In the pursuit of diagnostic efficiency, §conceptual explanations can be useful in §maximizing classification of malingered syndromes. §To improve upon the existing understanding and §detection of malingered mild head injury, a means of §conceptualizing and providing a framework to explain §this increasing phenomenon is necessary. The §purpose of this study was to conceptualize patterns §of responding akin to the notion that malingerers §endorse more atypical symptoms, over endorse §symptoms related to the disease or disorder, and §endorse many symptoms that are unrelated to the §actual disorder they are attempting to malinger. §This research addresses the advantages of utilizing §the tripartite conceptual model of malingering-§atypicality, density and dispersion (Landis &§Viglione, 1998) and the Inventory of Problems to §improve the understanding and detection of §malingered mild head injury. There were 114 male §and female participants: mild head-injured patients §(n=38), simulators (n=38), and control participants §(n=38). Results demonstrated significant differences §(p.001) between groups in the identification of §patterns of malingering.