DSM-5 and Malingering

a Modest Proposal

Berry, David T. R.
Nelson, Nathaniel W.

¹Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506–0044 USA
²Minneapolis VA Medical Center and University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN USA

Received: 19 September 2010/Accepted: 8 October 2010/Published online: 28 October 2010

David T. R. Berry holds the copyright to the Letter Memory Test. All proceeds from the Letter Memory Test are donated to the Harris Psychological Services Clinic.

Psychological Injury and Law 3(4):p 295-303, December 2010. | DOI: 10.1007/s12207-010-9087-7

Abstract

The DSM criteria for identifying malingering are reviewed and found to be flawed on both conceptual and practical grounds. Alternative models for diagnosing feigned psychiatric, physical, and neuropsychological symptoms are presented. A number of useful features of these systems are highlighted for potential contributions to modified DSM criteria. It is recommended that the present DSM text on malingering be replaced with feigned psychiatric, physical, or neuropsychological symptoms and suggestions for developing criteria for this condition are made.