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

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 no...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of forensic psychology practice Vol. 10; no. 5; pp. 440 - 463
Main Authors Giger, Peter, Merten, Thomas, Merckelbach, Harald, Oswald, Margit
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Binghamton, NY Taylor & Francis Group 29.10.2010
Haworth Press
Subjects
Online AccessGet full text
ISSN1522-8932
1522-9092
DOI10.1080/15228932.2010.489875

Cover

Abstract 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.
AbstractList 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.
Author Merckelbach, Harald
Oswald, Margit
Giger, Peter
Merten, Thomas
Author_xml – sequence: 1
  givenname: Peter
  surname: Giger
  fullname: Giger, Peter
  email: p.giger@gmx.net
  organization: Department of Psychology , University of Berne
– sequence: 2
  givenname: Thomas
  surname: Merten
  fullname: Merten, Thomas
  organization: Department of Neurology , Vivantes Klinikum im Friedrichshain
– sequence: 3
  givenname: Harald
  surname: Merckelbach
  fullname: Merckelbach, Harald
  organization: Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience , Maastricht University
– sequence: 4
  givenname: Margit
  surname: Oswald
  fullname: Oswald, Margit
  organization: Department of Psychology , University of Berne
BackLink http://pascal-francis.inist.fr/vibad/index.php?action=getRecordDetail&idt=23620976$$DView record in Pascal Francis
BookMark eNqFkD9PwzAQxS1UJFrgGzBkYUzxnya2u6AqUEBqhYS6R1fHpkZpHNlGqN-eRGkZGGC6u3fvnU6_CRo1rtEI3RA8JVjgO5JRKiSjU4o7aSak4NkZGvdyKrGko2Pfey7QJIQPjIngMhuj4kFHraJ1TeJMstT2vdFVUni71-mbriF202Lf6GBhniyS9WcdbbrWcec6vW29A7W7QucG6qCvj_USbZaPm-I5Xb0-vRSLVaoY4zHlBksCglNhFGhVYUJAS6FMlmNNDZH5VnIqJcVMMbXVmG8r0m2xEZADY5fodjjbQlBQGw-NsqFsu1_BH0rKcoolzzvfbPAp70Lw2vxYCC57XuWJV9nzKgdeXWz-K6ZshJ5M9GDr_8L3Q9g2xvk9fDlfV2WEQ-386VH254VvgMCEHA
CitedBy_id crossref_primary_10_1111_tops_12643
crossref_primary_10_1002_acp_3443
crossref_primary_10_1038_s41598_019_45292_y
crossref_primary_10_1080_13854046_2019_1694073
crossref_primary_10_1080_13854046_2013_803603
crossref_primary_10_1080_23279095_2024_2400681
crossref_primary_10_5127_jep_023711
crossref_primary_10_1080_13218719_2024_2377596
crossref_primary_10_1007_s12207_019_09368_4
crossref_primary_10_1016_S1130_5274_13_70014_8
crossref_primary_10_1371_journal_pone_0227113
crossref_primary_10_3389_fpsyg_2024_1399985
crossref_primary_10_1016_S1130_5274_13_70016_1
crossref_primary_10_1111_j_2044_8333_2012_02070_x
crossref_primary_10_1002_acp_3592
crossref_primary_10_1080_09658211_2013_771672
crossref_primary_10_24018_ejmed_2021_3_2_730
crossref_primary_10_1080_09658211_2018_1441421
crossref_primary_10_1080_13854046_2014_984763
crossref_primary_10_1002_acp_3310
crossref_primary_10_1007_s12207_019_09362_w
crossref_primary_10_1080_02699052_2017_1283444
crossref_primary_10_1007_s12207_021_09412_2
crossref_primary_10_1024_1421_0185_a000218
crossref_primary_10_3389_fpsyt_2019_00424
crossref_primary_10_1007_s12207_023_09470_8
crossref_primary_10_3389_fpsyt_2018_00617
crossref_primary_10_1002_bsl_2623
crossref_primary_10_2298_VSP210707008O
crossref_primary_10_1007_s12207_021_09432_y
crossref_primary_10_1016_j_neuropsychologia_2017_10_017
Cites_doi 10.1016/j.acn.2006.12.004
10.1080/00207450600934697
10.1007/s12207-007-9002-z
10.1007/s00115-002-1438-5
10.1080/13803390701260363
10.1207/s15327752jpa7002_8
10.1046/j.1474-7766.2003.05159.x
10.1177/1073191195002003007
10.1300/J158v07n03_02
10.1093/arclin/19.1.37
10.1016/j.acn.2004.03.004
10.1037/0003-066X.37.2.240
10.1097/00005053-198612000-00004
10.1007/s10979-006-9043-y
10.1080/00223890709336832
10.1016/j.acn.2005.02.002
10.2466/pr0.1991.68.1.203
10.1080/10683160801955183
10.1016/j.acn.2003.12.004
10.1016/S0887-6177(02)00157-9
10.1037/0003-066X.63.7.591
10.1055/s-2007-986232
10.1207/s15324826an1302_3
10.1136/bmj.329.7480.1480
10.1093/arclin/11.7.589
10.1080/13825580600966391
10.1037/0735-7028.26.5.474
10.1016/j.ijlp.2004.03.007
10.1080/01688639708403835
10.1080/13854040701336444
10.1016/j.acn.2005.06.010
doi:10.1177/1073191106295861
10.1016/j.acn.2003.07.004
10.1017/S1355617707070373
10.1080/01688639608408313
10.1300/J151v04n04_05
10.1080/14789940802340906
10.1002/1097-4679(199209)48:5<681::AID-JCLP2270480516>3.0.CO;2-Q
10.1080/13854040701494987
10.1016/0887-6177(94)90041-8
10.1093/arclin/17.7.709
10.1007/s10979-006-9062-8
10.1076/1385-4046(199911)13:04;1-Y;FT545
ContentType Journal Article
Copyright Copyright Taylor & Francis Group, LLC 2010
2015 INIST-CNRS
Copyright_xml – notice: Copyright Taylor & Francis Group, LLC 2010
– notice: 2015 INIST-CNRS
DBID AAYXX
CITATION
IQODW
DOI 10.1080/15228932.2010.489875
DatabaseName CrossRef
Pascal-Francis
DatabaseTitle CrossRef
DatabaseTitleList
DeliveryMethod fulltext_linktorsrc
Discipline Public Health
EISSN 1522-9092
EndPage 463
ExternalDocumentID 23620976
10_1080_15228932_2010_489875
489875
GroupedDBID ---
.7I
.QK
0BK
4.4
5GY
5VS
AAGDL
AAGZJ
AAMFJ
AAMIU
AAPUL
AATTQ
AAZMC
ABBZI
ABCCY
ABFIM
ABIVO
ABJNI
ABLIJ
ABPEM
ABRYG
ABTAI
ABXUL
ABXYU
ACGFS
ACHQT
ACPKE
ACTIO
ACTOA
ADAHI
ADCVX
ADKVQ
AEFOU
AEISY
AEKEX
AEMXT
AEOZL
AEZRU
AFHDM
AFRVT
AGDLA
AGMYJ
AGRBW
AHDZW
AIJEM
AIXGP
AIYEW
AKBVH
ALMA_UNASSIGNED_HOLDINGS
ALQZU
AQTUD
AVBZW
AWYRJ
BEJHT
BLEHA
BMOTO
BOHLJ
CAG
CCCUG
COF
CQ1
CS3
DGFLZ
DKSSO
DU5
EBS
EJD
EV9
E~B
E~C
G-F
GTTXZ
H13
HF~
HZ~
J.O
KYCEM
M4Z
NA5
P2P
RNANH
ROSJB
RSYQP
S-F
STATR
TASJS
TBQAZ
TDBHL
TEH
TFH
TFL
TFW
TNTFI
TUROJ
UT5
UT9
VAE
~01
~S~
AAYXX
CITATION
AANPH
ACRBO
ADEWX
ADYSH
AEXSR
ALLRG
DGXZK
EFRLQ
EGDCR
IPNFZ
IQODW
RBICI
RIG
ID FETCH-LOGICAL-c337t-7f091a8728fcaecd011ae98cf560e2f196b97299203c3cbe07bd1cf50f8a6a33
ISSN 1522-8932
IngestDate Mon Jul 21 09:18:09 EDT 2025
Wed Oct 01 03:26:24 EDT 2025
Thu Apr 24 22:53:43 EDT 2025
Mon Oct 20 23:46:13 EDT 2025
IsPeerReviewed false
IsScholarly false
Issue 5
Keywords Human
Coaching
Criminality
Delinquency
malingering
symptom overgeneralization
Symptomatology
symptom validity testing
Response falsification
Simulation
crime-related amnesia
Amnesia
Social behavior disorder
Language English
License CC BY 4.0
LinkModel OpenURL
MergedId FETCHMERGED-LOGICAL-c337t-7f091a8728fcaecd011ae98cf560e2f196b97299203c3cbe07bd1cf50f8a6a33
PageCount 24
ParticipantIDs crossref_primary_10_1080_15228932_2010_489875
informaworld_taylorfrancis_310_1080_15228932_2010_489875
pascalfrancis_primary_23620976
crossref_citationtrail_10_1080_15228932_2010_489875
ProviderPackageCode CITATION
AAYXX
PublicationCentury 2000
PublicationDate 10/29/2010
PublicationDateYYYYMMDD 2010-10-29
PublicationDate_xml – month: 10
  year: 2010
  text: 10/29/2010
  day: 29
PublicationDecade 2010
PublicationPlace Binghamton, NY
PublicationPlace_xml – name: Binghamton, NY
PublicationTitle Journal of forensic psychology practice
PublicationYear 2010
Publisher Taylor & Francis Group
Haworth Press
Publisher_xml – name: Taylor & Francis Group
– name: Haworth Press
References Doob A. N. (CIT0018) 1973; 1
CIT0030
Morel K. R. (CIT0047) 2008; 11
CIT0034
CIT0033
Green P. (CIT0029) 2003
Rogers R. (CIT0051) 1997
CIT0036
CIT0035
CIT0038
Butcher J. N. (CIT0008) 2004
CIT0037
Tombaugh T. N. (CIT0060) 1996
CIT0039
CIT0040
CIT0001
CIT0045
Smith D. (CIT0058) 2007; 35
CIT0044
Bourget D. (CIT0006) 2007; 35
Geraerts E. (CIT0023) 2006
CIT0003
CIT0002
CIT0046
CIT0005
CIT0049
CIT0004
CIT0048
CIT0007
CIT0050
CIT0010
CIT0054
CIT0053
CIT0012
CIT0056
CIT0011
CIT0055
Diederich C. (CIT0017)
Merckelbach H. (CIT0043) 2007
Frederick R. I. (CIT0022) 1995; 23
CIT0014
CIT0013
Iverson G. L. (CIT0032) 2003
CIT0057
CIT0015
CIT0019
CIT0061
CIT0063
CIT0062
Widows M. R. (CIT0065) 2005
CIT0021
Henry M. (CIT0031) 2009
CIT0064
CIT0066
Butcher J. N. (CIT0009) 1989
Rubenzer S. (CIT0052) 2006; 56
Marmar C. R. (CIT0042) 1997
Spitzer C. (CIT0059) 2005
Engel R. R. (CIT0020) 2000
Maercker A. (CIT0041) 1998
CIT0025
CIT0024
CIT0026
Giger P. (CIT0027) 2010; 20
CIT0028
Denney R. L. (CIT0016) 2007
References_xml – start-page: 197
  volume-title: Assessing psychological trauma and PTSD
  year: 1997
  ident: CIT0042
– ident: CIT0055
  doi: 10.1016/j.acn.2006.12.004
– ident: CIT0035
  doi: 10.1080/00207450600934697
– ident: CIT0010
  doi: 10.1007/s12207-007-9002-z
– ident: CIT0012
  doi: 10.1007/s00115-002-1438-5
– ident: CIT0001
  doi: 10.1080/13803390701260363
– ident: CIT0046
  doi: 10.1207/s15327752jpa7002_8
– ident: CIT0050
  doi: 10.1046/j.1474-7766.2003.05159.x
– ident: CIT0066
  doi: 10.1177/1073191195002003007
– ident: CIT0045
  doi: 10.1300/J158v07n03_02
– volume-title: Die deutsche Version des Peritraumatic Dissociation Experience Questionnaire (PDEQ)
  year: 1998
  ident: CIT0041
– volume-title: Poster presented at the First European Symposium on Symptom Validity Assessment
  ident: CIT0017
– ident: CIT0062
  doi: 10.1093/arclin/19.1.37
– ident: CIT0014
  doi: 10.1016/j.acn.2004.03.004
– start-page: 428
  volume-title: Assessment of feigned cognitive impairment: A neuropsychological perspective
  year: 2007
  ident: CIT0016
– volume-title: Test of Memory Malingering (TOMM)
  year: 1996
  ident: CIT0060
– ident: CIT0011
  doi: 10.1037/0003-066X.37.2.240
– ident: CIT0005
  doi: 10.1097/00005053-198612000-00004
– start-page: 31
  volume-title: Novel approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder
  year: 2006
  ident: CIT0023
– ident: CIT0024
  doi: 10.1007/s10979-006-9043-y
– volume: 35
  start-page: 541
  year: 2007
  ident: CIT0058
  publication-title: Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law
– ident: CIT0019
  doi: 10.1080/00223890709336832
– ident: CIT0007
  doi: 10.1016/j.acn.2005.02.002
– volume: 11
  start-page: 128
  year: 2008
  ident: CIT0047
  publication-title: German Journal of Psychiatry
– volume: 23
  start-page: 231
  year: 1995
  ident: CIT0022
  publication-title: Bulletin of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law
– ident: CIT0039
  doi: 10.2466/pr0.1991.68.1.203
– ident: CIT0061
  doi: 10.1080/10683160801955183
– volume: 35
  start-page: 469
  year: 2007
  ident: CIT0006
  publication-title: Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law
– ident: CIT0040
  doi: 10.1016/j.acn.2003.12.004
– volume-title: Green's Word Memory Test: User's manual
  year: 2003
  ident: CIT0029
– start-page: 137
  volume-title: Handbook of forensic neuropsychology
  year: 2003
  ident: CIT0032
– volume: 56
  start-page: 499
  year: 2006
  ident: CIT0052
  publication-title: FDCC Quarterly
– volume-title: Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2): Manual for administration and scoring
  year: 1989
  ident: CIT0009
– ident: CIT0036
  doi: 10.1016/S0887-6177(02)00157-9
– ident: CIT0021
  doi: 10.1037/0003-066X.63.7.591
– ident: CIT0044
  doi: 10.1055/s-2007-986232
– ident: CIT0033
  doi: 10.1207/s15324826an1302_3
– volume-title: A beginner's guide to the MMPI-2
  year: 2004
  ident: CIT0008
– volume-title: SIMS— Structured Inventory of Malingered Symptomatology: Professional manual
  year: 2005
  ident: CIT0065
– ident: CIT0004
  doi: 10.1136/bmj.329.7480.1480
– ident: CIT0015
  doi: 10.1093/arclin/11.7.589
– ident: CIT0002
  doi: 10.1080/13825580600966391
– ident: CIT0064
  doi: 10.1037/0735-7028.26.5.474
– volume-title: MMPI-2. Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2: Manual
  year: 2000
  ident: CIT0020
– ident: CIT0013
  doi: 10.1016/j.ijlp.2004.03.007
– ident: CIT0054
  doi: 10.1080/01688639708403835
– ident: CIT0053
  doi: 10.1080/13854040701336444
– start-page: 165
  volume-title: Offenders’ memories of violent crimes
  year: 2007
  ident: CIT0043
– ident: CIT0003
  doi: 10.1016/j.acn.2005.06.010
– volume: 1
  start-page: 287
  year: 1973
  ident: CIT0018
  publication-title: Journal of Police Science and Administration
– start-page: 118
  volume-title: Diagnostik der Beschwerdenvalidität
  year: 2009
  ident: CIT0031
– volume-title: Fragebogen zu Dissoziativen Symptomen: Testmanual zur Kurz- und Langform (FDS-20 und FDS) [Dissociative Experiences Scale: Manual of the short version and the extended version]
  year: 2005
  ident: CIT0059
– ident: CIT0026
  doi: doi:10.1177/1073191106295861
– ident: CIT0034
  doi: 10.1016/j.acn.2003.07.004
– ident: CIT0048
  doi: 10.1017/S1355617707070373
– start-page: 398
  volume-title: Clinical assessment of malingering and deception
  year: 1997
  ident: CIT0051
– ident: CIT0057
  doi: 10.1080/01688639608408313
– ident: CIT0028
  doi: 10.1300/J151v04n04_05
– ident: CIT0025
  doi: 10.1080/14789940802340906
– volume: 20
  start-page: 131
  year: 2010
  ident: CIT0027
  publication-title: Praxis der Rechtpsychologie
– ident: CIT0038
  doi: 10.1002/1097-4679(199209)48:5<681::AID-JCLP2270480516>3.0.CO;2-Q
– ident: CIT0037
  doi: 10.1080/13854040701494987
– ident: CIT0049
  doi: 10.1016/0887-6177(94)90041-8
– ident: CIT0030
  doi: 10.1093/arclin/17.7.709
– ident: CIT0063
  doi: 10.1007/s10979-006-9062-8
– ident: CIT0056
  doi: 10.1076/1385-4046(199911)13:04;1-Y;FT545
SSID ssj0018795
Score 1.5970501
Snippet Claims of crime-related amnesia appear to be common. Using a mock crime approach, the diagnostic power of seven symptom validity instruments was investigated....
SourceID pascalfrancis
crossref
informaworld
SourceType Index Database
Enrichment Source
Publisher
StartPage 440
SubjectTerms 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
Title Detection of Feigned Crime-Related Amnesia: A Multi-Method Approach
URI https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15228932.2010.489875
Volume 10
hasFullText 1
inHoldings 1
isFullTextHit
isPrint
journalDatabaseRights – providerCode: PRVLSH
  databaseName: aylor and Francis Online
  customDbUrl:
  mediaType: online
  eissn: 1522-9092
  dateEnd: 99991231
  omitProxy: false
  ssIdentifier: ssj0018795
  issn: 1522-8932
  databaseCode: AHDZW
  dateStart: 20010101
  isFulltext: true
  providerName: Library Specific Holdings
link http://utb.summon.serialssolutions.com/2.0.0/link/0/eLvHCXMwnV3NT9swFLdKuUxCiI9NgwHygauZiVPi7BbaomyjXOgE2iWyHRshQUEQLhz423n-SEiAjY1L1LqOU_m9vC__3nsIbYNOL3mcxkSyMiL2aI1IUIQEvItYslSZ1NgT3cnRXv4r_nE6OO31HtrZJZXcUfev5pW8h6owBnS1WbL_QdlmURiAz0BfuAKF4fpPNB7pSqva5DuwLTZtvNYW7PcgN_iWXYIsOxc-Ad1l25KJaxpt7U-XTfUH8xSMWYttVyFPy1VqqlOqGtDO9wCk6KB8J2OwkY-eoY_8-PDn-HA_G-ZO4QkbDWuCvMcn2eEoZA-dnVftaIRFdlASPcm8XDhkYwc_4sQquLxgGXXlLm3x16AlRGNfwCno49gLwBei3mMj7cp2YQ_Si3nKfSOWbmXtZxqvwSFGoL4pGGRzaD4CrUD7aD7LR79PmnMo24rdVdwN_79OvuT062tP7hg3ndK3FnMrbuG1M75fSsuImS6hxUBenHlWWkY9PVtBCz50i31G2ioaNmyFrwwObIUdW-HAVjiw1Tec4TZT4ZqpPqLpwXg6zEnotUEUY0lFEgOGo-BJxI0SWpUg9oVOuTJgEevIgJyWKfhhaUSZYkpqmshyF36lhos9wdgn1J9dzfRnhA1PZFwqmAe-OngfPJWUCTaQ4IkrcDbWEKv3qFChDr1th3JR7IZytfXOFnZnC7-za4g0d137OixvzOft7S8qF_8Km1-wv9-61SFV87yaW9bfmvAFfXh6NzZQv7q505tgu1ZyKzDYIxL0kHE
linkProvider Library Specific Holdings
openUrl ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&ctx_enc=info%3Aofi%2Fenc%3AUTF-8&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fsummon.serialssolutions.com&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Detection+of+Feigned+Crime+Related+Amnesia%3A+A+Multi-Method+Approach&rft.jtitle=Journal+of+forensic+psychology+practice&rft.au=GIGER%2C+Peter&rft.au=MERTEN%2C+Thomas&rft.au=MERCKELBACH%2C+Harald&rft.au=OSWALD%2C+Margit&rft.date=2010-10-29&rft.pub=Haworth+Press&rft.issn=1522-8932&rft.volume=10&rft.issue=5&rft.spage=440&rft.epage=463&rft_id=info:doi/10.1080%2F15228932.2010.489875&rft.externalDBID=n%2Fa&rft.externalDocID=23620976
thumbnail_l http://covers-cdn.summon.serialssolutions.com/index.aspx?isbn=/lc.gif&issn=1522-8932&client=summon
thumbnail_m http://covers-cdn.summon.serialssolutions.com/index.aspx?isbn=/mc.gif&issn=1522-8932&client=summon
thumbnail_s http://covers-cdn.summon.serialssolutions.com/index.aspx?isbn=/sc.gif&issn=1522-8932&client=summon