4 Hours / 4 CEs

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on Malingering in Forensic Evaluations is presented by Michael Vitacco, PhD, ABPP, in partnership with The American Academy of Forensic Psychology.

This program offers guidance on the legal and practical implications of evaluating response styles in forensic evaluations. Several critical aspects of evaluating for malingering in forensic evaluations are reviewed. Specific issues are discussed, including a critical review of diagnostic criteria for malingering from DSM-5, how courts have dealt with malingering, and several commonly used instruments designed to detect feigning. When reviewing the instruments pros and cons of each are discussed with an overview of their psychometric properties. Ethical and cultural considerations are integrated throughout the program with relevance to civil and criminal forensic work.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:

  • 1 Describe malingering and the criteria in the DSM-5
  • 2 Describe legal and clinical implications of malingering, including recent court cases that addressed malingering
  • 3 Describe at least two instruments and scales designed to detect feigning and their psychometric properties
  • 4 Describe research on potential cultural differences with respect to symptom presentation
  • 5 Describe the research for detecting malingering in special populations, including individuals with intellectual disabilities

  • Intended Audience

    This training is intended for mental health and allied professionals who are interested in or currently working in forensic psychology, with a focus on the assessment of malingering and response styles. It provides essential knowledge and skills for those specializing in forensic assessment and response style evaluation.

    • Mental Health Professional
    • Psychologist
    • Psychiatrist
    • Social Worker
    • Counselor
    • Nurse
    • Case Manager
    • Legal Professional with a mental health focus
    • Forensic Psychology Specialist
    • Individuals involved in malingering and response style assessment

  • Experience Level

    This training is designed for licensed and pre-licensed mental health professionals with varying levels of experience in forensic evaluation and response style assessment.

    Beginner:
    New to forensic mental health or malingering assessment; seeking foundational knowledge of DSM-5 criteria, legal and clinical implications, and basic instrument use.

    Intermediate:
    Some experience with forensic evaluations; familiar with basic concepts and seeking deeper understanding of psychometric properties, recent court cases, and cultural/ethical considerations.

    Advanced:
    Extensive experience in forensic mental health; seeking critical analysis of current research, advanced application of assessment instruments, and nuanced discussion of special populations and complex legal/ethical issues.

  • Practice Setting

    Professionals specializing in forensic psychology and the assessment of malingering and response styles typically work in environments where mental health intersects with the legal system. These settings require careful evaluation of individuals involved in legal proceedings, such as criminal or civil cases, where questions about the authenticity of psychological symptoms or impairment may arise. The work environment is often multidisciplinary, involving collaboration with legal professionals, correctional staff, and other healthcare providers. Practitioners may conduct assessments in secure facilities, outpatient clinics, hospitals, private practices, or courtrooms, and must navigate complex ethical, legal, and cultural considerations in their evaluations.

    • Forensic psychiatric hospitals and secure mental health units
    • Correctional facilities (jails, prisons, juvenile detention centers)
    • Court clinics or court-appointed evaluation centers
    • Private forensic psychology or psychiatry practices
    • Community mental health centers with forensic services
    • Law enforcement agencies or legal offices with mental health consultants
    • Academic or research institutions specializing in forensic assessment
    • Government agencies (e.g., departments of mental health, social services) involved in competency or disability evaluations

Presented By

Michael Vitacco, PhD, ABPP, PhD, ABPP

Michael Vitacco, PhD, ABPP, is a professor at Augusta University in the School of Public Health and an adjunct professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Health Behavior. He is board-certified in forensic psychology and has a small forensic consulting practice. Dr. Vitacco has over 120 publications with emphases in social media, response style, conditional release, and violence risk assessment.

View More Programs from this Presenter
Michael Vitacco, PhD, ABPP

Training Outline

Key topics covered in this training include:

  • Guidance on the legal and practical implications of evaluating response style

  • Key aspects of evaluating for malingering in forensic evaluations

  • Specific issues including a critical review of diagnostic criteria for malingering from DSM-5, how courts have dealt with malingering, and reviewing several commonly used instruments designed to detect feigning

  • Review the pros and cons of instruments + their psychometric properties

  • Ethical and cultural considerations are integrated throughout

We are proud to partner with

American Academy of Forensic Psychology (AAFP)

American Academy of Forensic Psychology (AAFP)

We are proud to partner with the American Academy of Forensic Psychology (AAFP) for this training. AAFP is a non-profit organization of board-certified forensic psychologists whose mission is to contribute to the development and maintenance of forensic psychology as a specialized field of study, research, and practice. The Academy does this by providing high-quality continuing education workshops, providing a forum for the exchange of scientific information among its members, and conferring awards upon outstanding students and practitioners in the field of forensic psychology.

Learn More About Our Partner

CE Sponsorship Information

Palo Alto University, Continuing & Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by, recognized by, or maintains sponsorship provider status with the following boards and agencies. We maintain responsibility for all content in our CE/CPD programs. For more information, visit here. 

  1. American Psychological Association (APA): Approved sponsor of continuing education for psychologists.

  2. Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB): Approved continuing education provider (ACE program, Provider #1480), 11/22/2023–11/22/2026.

  3. Canadian Psychological Association (CPA): Approved to sponsor continuing education for psychologists.

  4. National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC): Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP No. 7190).



Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), SW CPE is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0356 and the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0073. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6811. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. CONCEPT Professional Training, #1480, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. CONCEPT Professional Training maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 11/22/23-11/22/26. Social workers completing this course receive (clinical or social work ethics) continuing education credits.