Holly A. Miller

The Miller-Forensic Assessment of Symptoms Test (M-Fast): Test Generalizability and Utility Across Race Literacy, and Clinical Opinion

The Miller-Forensic Assessment of Symptoms Test (M-FAST) was developed to provide clinicians with a reliable and valid screen for malingered mental illness. Previous studies have demonstrated the development and initial validation of the M-FAST. The current analyses extend the M-FAST generalizability across literacy status and race and compare predictive utility with clinical opinion. Study 1 includes a sample of 280 forensic male psychiatric patients, 5 psychiatrists, and 8 psychologists. The psychiatric participants were administered the SIRS, M-FAST item pool, M Test, and MMPI-2. Study 2 includes an independent sample of 50 male forensic psychiatric participants and the 13 mental health professionals. Results provide evidence of generalizability of the M-FAST across literacy and racial groups. Results also indicate that the M-FAST produced higher classification accuracy than the M Test and clinical opinion, significantly reducing the number off alse negatives at the screening stage of malingering assessment.

Examining the Use of the M-FAST with Criminal Defendants Incompetent to Stand Trial

The Miller Forensic Assessment of Symptoms Test (M-FAST) was developed to provide evaluators with a brief, reliable, and valid screen for malingered mental illness. This study examined the initial validity of the M-FAST in a sample of 50 criminal defendants found incompetent to stand trial because of a mental illness. The M-FAST total score and items were compared with the Structured Interview of Reported Symptoms (SIRS) and the fake-bad indicators of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2). Results indicated good evidence of construct and criterion validity, demonstrated by t tests, receiver operating characteristics analysis, and high correlations between the M-FAST, SIRS, and the fake-bad indices on the MMPI-2. Tentative cut scores for the M-FAST total score and scales were examined and demonstrated high utility with the sample of criminal defendants incompetent to stand trial.

Screening for Malingered Psychopathology in a Correctional Setting: Utility of the Miller-Forensic Assessment of Symptoms Test (M-FAST)

Evidence of construct validity and generalizability for a new measure developed to screen for malingered psychopathology, the Miller-Forensic Assessment of Symptoms Test (M-FAST), is presented for a sample of incarcerated males (N = 50) who had applied for mental health services in a maximum-security prison. Participants completed a brief diagnostic interview, the Structured Interview of Reported Symptoms (SIRS), and the M-FAST. SIRS-defined malingerers scored significantly higher on the M-FAST total and scale scores. Receiver operating characteristic analysis yielded an area under the curve of .92 (SEM = .04, p= .01). Consistent with previous M-FAST validity research, utility results indicated accurate classification was best achieved with an M-FAST total cutoff score of 6 (positive predictive power = .78, negative predictive power =.89). Utility analyses across race produced almost identical results indicating preliminary generalizability of the M-FAST for African American, Hispanic, and Caucasian inmates.

Malingering as a Categorical or Dimensional Construct : The Latent Structure of Feigned Psychopathology as Measured by the SIRS and MMPI-2

The 6 nonoverlapping primary scales of the Structured Interview of Reported Symptoms (SIRS) were subjected to taxometric analysis in a group of 1,211 criminal and civil examinees in order to investigate the latent structure of feigned psychopathology. Both taxometric procedures used in this study, mean above minus below a cut (MAMBAC) and maximum covariance (MAXCOV), produced dimensional results. A subgroup of participants (n = 711) with valid Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) protocols were included in a second round of analyses in which the 6 nonoverlapping primary scales of the SIRS and the Infrequency (F), Infrequency-Psychopathology (Fp), and Dissimulation (Ds) scales of the MMPI-2 served as indicators. Again, the results were more consistent with dimensional latent structure than with taxonic latent structure. On the basis of these findings, it is concluded that feigned psychopathology forms a dimension (levels of fabrication or exaggeration) rather than a taxon (malingering-honest dichotomy) and that malingering is a quantitative distinction rather than a qualitative one. The theoretical and clinical practice implications of these findings are discussed.

Latent Profile Analyses of Offense and Personality Characteristics in a Sample of Incarcerated Female Sexual Offenders

This study examines characteristics of 90 female sexual offenders based on offense and personality traits. The study uses latent profile analysis to identify groups of female sex offenders who are similar to one another and different from participants in other groups. Results using the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) indicate that there were three classes of offenders that differed with respect to the severity of their psychopathology. Upon analysis of predictors such as demographic information, offense characteristics, selected Trauma Symptom Inventory scores, Static-99 scores, abuse history, and PAI supplemental scales, several factors predicted group membership. These included marital status, sexual abuse in adulthood, and interpersonal relationship styles. Implications for assessment and treatment of female sex offenders are discussed.

Perceptions of the Validity and Utility of Criminal Profiling Among Forensic Psychologists and Psychiatrists

Criminal profiling is the process of using crime scene evidence to make inferences about potential suspects, including personality characteristics and psychopathology. An exploratory Internet survey of forensic psychologists and psychiatrists was conducted to examine their experiences with and opinions about profiling and to determine whether referring to profiling as “criminal investigative analysis” had any impact on these opinions. About 10% of the 161 survey respondents had profiling experience, although more than 25% considered themselves knowledgeable about profiling. Fewer than 25% believed that profiling was scientifically reliable or valid, and approximately 40% felt that criminal investigative analysis was scientifically reliable or valid. Although the scientific aspects of profiling lacked support, respondents viewed profiling as useful for law enforcement and supported profiling research.

The Training of Law Enforcement Officers in Detecting Deception: A Survey of Current Practices and Suggestions for Improving Accuracy

The current study surveyed a random sample of Texas law enforcement officers (N = 109) about their training in detecting deception. Texas officers reported that their training entailed the equivalent of a 2-day, lecture-style workshop in the kinesic interview technique or Reid technique, two popular police training modules, with subsequent training more often the exception than the rule. The authors examine these results in light of previous social science research regarding officers’ accuracy in detecting deception and make suggestions for future training programs for police officers in this area.

Psychopathology of Sex Offenders A Comparison of Males and Females Using Latent Profile Analysis

Although male sex offenders have been the focus of numerous empirical investigations, there exists little data examining the characteristics of female sex offenders. This study examined personality profiles of incarcerated male and female sex offenders by utilizing Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) to categorize offenders based on their responses on the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI). Building on previous research (see Turner, Miller, Henderson, 2008), the current sample of male and female sex offenders is best described using a 4-class model: Moderate Defensiveness, Elevated Alcohol and Drug Use, Moderate Psychopathology, and Elevated Psychopathology. Analyzing covariates and group membership, results indicated that male sex offenders were more likely to be included in the Elevated Drug and Alcohol group, whereas the female sex offenders were more likely to be included in the Moderate or Elevated Psychopathology group. Additional results of psychopathology and gender difference, as well as treatment implications are discussed.

US police officers’ knowledge regarding behaviors indicative of deception: Implications for eradicating erroneous beliefs through training

Abstract The current study surveyed a random sample of Texas law enforcement officers (n = 109) about their knowledge regarding behaviors indicative of deception. The officers were not highly knowledgeable about this topic, overall performing at a chance level in assessing how various behavioral cues relate to deception. Confidence in ones skill was unrelated to accuracy, and officers who reported receiving the most training and utilizing these skills more often were more confident but no more accurate in their knowledge of the behaviors that typically betray deception. The authors compare these results to previous studies that have examined officers’ beliefs in other countries and discuss the implication of these results in terms of developing future training programs that may debunk the common misconceptions that officers possess.

Detection Strategies for Malingering With the Miller Forensic Assessment of Symptoms Test A Confirmatory Factor Analysis of Its Underlying Dimensions

Two of the most widely used measures for the assessment of malingering in forensic populations are the Miller Forensic Assessment of Symptoms Test (M-FAST) and the Structured Interview of Reported Symptoms (SIRS). The underlying dimensions of the SIRS have been well established in the literature, but the structure of the M-FAST remains relatively untested. Understanding of its dimensions is critical for construct validity and guiding its proper use. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to provide evidence of a single parsimonious malingering factor to account for the covariation of the M-FAST items in a sample of 244 forensic patients. In addition, the model was cross-validated with an independent sample of 210 forensic patients. Finally, the M-FAST factor was modeled in conjunction with two factors of the SIRS. Results provide further validation of the underlying detection strategy found in the M-FAST.