20 Hours / 20 CEs

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on Assessment of Malingering is presented by Barry Rosenfeld, Ph.D., ABPP. This badge-earning program can be shared digitally on platforms like LinkedIn or your resume and counts towards a certificate. Enroll in this program to earn credit towards the Criminal Forensic Assessment Certificate and share your new digital credentials with prospective employers and colleagues.

This program reviews the tests and techniques currently available for assessing malingering of cognitive impairment and psychiatric disturbance. The tests reviewed in this program include the Test of Memory Malingering (TOMM), Validity Indicator Profile (VIP), MMPI (all versions), Structured Interview of Reported Symptoms (SIRS), and the Miller Forensic Assessment of Symptoms Test (M-FAST). This program discusses the use and interpretation of the individual test. It addresses the integration of multiple instruments into an assessment battery and decision-making in equivocal cases or when test data appear contradictory. Finally, the use and misuse of malingering tests with linguistically and culturally diverse evaluatees are described.

Learning Objectives

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

  • 1 Describe the differences between feigning, malingering, and insufficient effort in the context of psychological assessment
  • 2 Describe the types of instruments used to detect feigning
  • 3 Describe the strengths and limitations for commonly used instruments used to detect feigning
  • 4 Describe the different indices of classification accuracy
  • 5 Describe the importance of base rate information
  • 6 Describe standard errors on the interpretation of psychological test results
  • 7 Describe the impact of different types of diversity on the interpretation of test data
  • 8 Describe the culture, language, and intelligence on the interpretation of test data
  • 9 Describe strategies for integrating test data, clinical observations, collateral information, and contextual factors when forming conclusions about feigning and malingering in forensic evaluations
  • 10 Describe alternative decision-making strategies for selecting and integrating multiple tests into an assessment battery
  • 11 Describe the tests and techniques available to assess malingering
  • 12 Describe the psychometric principles underlying classification accuracy, including sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, and base rates, as applied to the assessment of feigning and malingering

  • Intended Audience

    This training is intended for mental health and allied professionals who conduct forensic or clinical assessments where malingering may be a concern. It is suitable for those practicing in specialized fields such as forensic psychology, neuropsychology, and clinical psychology, and is relevant for individuals involved in the assessment and evaluation of malingering in various contexts.

    • Mental Health Professional
    • Psychologist
    • Psychiatrist
    • Social Worker
    • Counselor
    • Allied Professional involved in forensic or clinical assessments
    • Practitioner in forensic psychology, neuropsychology, or clinical psychology

  • Experience Level

    This program is appropriate for licensed and pre-licensed mental health professionals at varying levels of experience in psychological assessment and forensic evaluation.

    • Beginner: Participants with limited or no prior experience in the assessment of malingering, seeking foundational knowledge of relevant tests (e.g., TOMM, VIP, MMPI, SIRS, M-FAST), basic psychometric principles, and introductory strategies for integrating test data.

    • Intermediate: Participants with some experience administering or interpreting malingering assessments, looking to deepen their understanding of classification accuracy, base rates, and the integration of multiple instruments in complex or equivocal cases.

  • Practice Setting

    Professionals who assess malingering typically work in environments where psychological, neuropsychological, or forensic evaluations are conducted. The work often involves structured interviews, standardized testing, and collaboration with legal or medical professionals. Practitioners may encounter diverse populations and complex cases, requiring careful integration of multiple assessment tools and consideration of cultural and linguistic factors.

    Examples of practice settings:

    • Forensic psychiatric hospitals or secure units
    • Correctional facilities or jails
    • Private forensic or neuropsychological assessment practices
    • Court clinics or legal consultation services
    • General hospitals with consultation-liaison psychiatry or psychology services
    • Community mental health centers conducting court-ordered evaluations
    • Academic medical centers with forensic or neuropsychology divisions
Presented By

Barry Rosenfeld, PhD, ABPP

Dr. Rosenfeld is a Professor of Psychology at Fordham University in New York City. He has been conducting forensic mental health evaluations for more than 30 years, first in public settings (Bellevue Hospital and the New York City Forensic Psychiatry Clinic) and more recently through his independent practice. He has evaluated thousands of individuals facing criminal charges or involved in civil litigation, has published roughly 200 peer reviewed publications, and has trained or mentored forensic psychologists at every level (undergraduates, graduate students and post-doctoral trainees). He is board certified in Forensic Psychology and a past President of both the American Psychology-Law Society and the International Association for Forensic Mental Health Services. He is a frequent presenter on a range of forensic psychology topics including malingering, violence risk assessment and cross-cultural issues in forensic psychology.   



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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).

Sponsorship Approval Statements

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), is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7190. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Palo Alto University, #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. Palo Alto University 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. Continuing and Professional Studies, Palo Alto University, is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0103. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. Palo Alto University, Continuing & Professional Studies (CONCEPT), 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. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies, is recognized by 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.