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European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience

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Open Access 19-05-2022 | Mood Disorders | Original Paper

Analysis of malingered psychological symptoms in a clinical sample for early detection in initial interviews

Authors: Carlos Barbosa-Torres, Natalia Bueso-Izquierdo, Sixto Cubo-Delgado

Published in: European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience | Issue 2/2023

Abstract

Malingering consists of the production of false physical or psychological symptoms motivated by external incentives that are normally reproduced in pathologies that are not related to organic origin or there are no laboratory tests for their diagnosis, as is the case of mixed anxiety–depressive disorder and fibromyalgia syndrome. The objective of this research consisted of comparing the profile of simulative patients with fibromyalgia and mixed anxiety–depressive disorder to obtain a profile and facilitate its detection in initial interviews. The research was carried out with 78 patients (42 patients with fibromyalgia and 36 patients with mixed anxiety–depressive disorder) who were administered the professional's structured clinical judgment, the Beck Depression Inventory, the State-Trait Anxiety Questionnaire, and the Structured Symptom Simulation Inventory. The main obtained results show that the simulation classification proposed by the questionnaire is in the range of 66.67–80% with regard to coinciding with the judgment of experts, and people with suspicion of simulation of both groups of patients present similar characteristics. The simulators thus present incongruous responses in relation to the questionnaires, and high levels of trait anxiety, state, and depression predict the simulation of symptoms.

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Title: Analysis of malingered psychological symptoms in a clinical sample for early detection in initial interviews
Authors: Carlos Barbosa-Torres
Natalia Bueso-Izquierdo
Sixto Cubo-Delgado
Publication date: 19-05-2022
Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Keywords: Mood Disorders
Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia
Affective Disorder
Anxiety
Published in: European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience / Issue 2/2023
Print ISSN: 0940-1334
Electronic ISSN: 1433-8491
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00406-022-01422-8

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Analysis of malingered psychological symptoms in a clinical sample for early detection in initial interviews

Abstract

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

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