Detection of Feigned Crime-Related Amnesia: A Multi-Method Approach

• Published in: Journal of forensic psychology practice Vol. 10; no. 5; pp. 440 - 463
• Main Authors: Giger, Peter, Merten, Thomas, Merckelbach, Harald, Oswald, Margit
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Binghamton, NY Taylor & Francis Group 29.10.2010; Haworth Press
• Subjects: Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Biological and medical sciences; coaching; crime-related amnesia; Disorders of higher nervous function. Focal brain diseases. Central vestibular syndrome and deafness. Brain stem syndromes; malingering; Medical sciences; Nervous system (semeiology, syndromes); Neurology; Organic mental disorders. Neuropsychology; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Social behavior disorders. Criminal behavior. Delinquency; symptom overgeneralization; symptom validity testing; Human; Coaching; Criminality; Delinquency; malingering; symptom overgeneralization; Symptomatology; symptom validity testing; Response falsification; Simulation; crime-related amnesia; Amnesia; Social behavior disorder
• ISSN: 1522-8932; 1522-9092
• DOI: 10.1080/15228932.2010.489875

Claims of crime-related amnesia appear to be common. Using a mock crime approach, the diagnostic power of seven symptom validity instruments was investigated. Sixty participants were assigned to three conditions: responding honestly; feigning crime-related amnesia; feigning amnesia with a warning not to exaggerate. High sensitivity and specificity were obtained for the Structured Inventory of Malingered Symptomatology, the Amsterdam Short-Term Memory Test, and the Morel Emotional Numbing Test. Only three warned malingerers went undetected. The results demonstrate that validated instruments exist to support forensic decision making about crime-related amnesia. Yet, warning may undermine their effectiveness, even when using a multi-method approach.