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Assessing Effort and Malingering with the Hispanic Client

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Guide to Psychological Assessment with Hispanics

Abstract

Accurate and early identification of malingering is of utmost importance. The use of Symptom Validity Tests (SVTs) with culturally diverse populations for whom validation data do not exist must be carefully considered. In this chapter, we explore the most commonly used and/or researched measures that strive to assess for malingering and we discuss research with on these measures with Hispanics. Specifically, we review the Test of Memory Malingering, the Word Memory Test and the Medical Symptom Validity Test, the MMPI-II and the MMPI-A, Reliable Digit Span, the Structured Interview of Reported Symptoms, the Sentence Completion Task-75 (SCT-75), the Miller-Forensic Assessment of Symptoms Test (M-FAST), Rey 15 Items, and the Dot Counting Test. Finally, we provide evidence-based recommendations for the assessment of malingering with the Hispanic client.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Victims of Crime Treatment Center, University of Nevada, Reno, MS 0296, Reno, NV, 89557, USA

    Lorraine T. Benuto Ph.D.

  2. California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Adult Division, California Correctional Health Care Services, 750, Susanville, CA, 96127, USA

    Brian D. Leany Ph.D.

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  1. Lorraine T. Benuto Ph.D.
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Correspondence to Lorraine T. Benuto Ph.D. .

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  1. , Department of Psychology, MS 0296, University of Nevada, Reno, North Virginia Street, Reno, 89557, Nevada, USA

    Lorraine T. Benuto

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Benuto, L.T., Leany, B.D. (2013). Assessing Effort and Malingering with the Hispanic Client. In: Benuto, L. (eds) Guide to Psychological Assessment with Hispanics. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-4412-1_7

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