20 Hours / 20 CEs

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on Assessing Malingering: Foundational Issues and Developments is presented by Barry Rosenfeld, PhD, ABPP.

This badge-earning program can be shared digitally on platforms like LinkedIn or your resume and counts toward a certificate. Enroll in this program to earn credit towards the Criminal Forensic Assessment Certificate and share your new digital credentials.

The assessment of malingering is one of the most important issues in forensic psychology. Moreover, this area of research continues to evolve rapidly, with new instruments, techniques, and evidence appearing on a regular basis. 

This training provides foundational information that is helpful to and necessary for those with a more limited background in the assessment of feigning and malingering, as well as a more in-depth review of current issues in malingering assessment. 

This training is appropriate for all forensic mental health professionals at all levels and settings. Part one focuses more on foundational issues, such as a review of research methods for evaluating feigning and the impact of research methodology (e.g., simulation versus known-groups designs, the use and type of coaching) on the accuracy and generalizability of published research findings. In addition, core types of feigning instruments, as well as an overview of well-established and commonly used measures, provide a foundation for a more nuanced understanding of the issues. Part two focuses more on novel instruments and applications of instruments, including those recently developed or revised, as well as the impact cultural and linguistic diversity or types of mental disorder(s) have on test findings 

Learning Objectives

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

  • 1 Describe the distinctions between feigning, malingering, and other types of dissimulation
  • 2 Describe the types of instruments used to detect feigning
  • 3 Describe the specific techniques available to assess feigning
  • 4 Describe the assessment of classification accuracy in evaluating feigning tests
  • 5 Describe the impact of research. methodology on test accuracy and interpretation
  • 6 Describe the strengths and limitations of instruments commonly used to detect feigning
  • 7 Describe the utility and limitations of recently developed or revised instruments
  • 8 Describe the alternative decision-making strategies for selecting and integrating multiple tests into an assessment battery
  • 9 Describe the impact of cultural and linguistic diversity on the accuracy and interpretation of feigning test data
  • 10 Describe the impact of serious mental illness and/or cognitive deficits on the accuracy and interpretation of feigning test data

  • Intended Audience

    This training is designed for individuals involved in the assessment and evaluation of feigning and malingering within forensic mental health contexts. It is particularly relevant for those who are responsible for detecting, interpreting, and integrating findings related to dissimulation, and who must consider the influence of research methodology, cultural and linguistic diversity, and mental health or cognitive disorders on assessment outcomes.

    Examples of Relevant Professionals:

    • Mental Health Professional
    • Forensic Psychologist
    • Psychiatrist
    • Clinical Psychologist
    • Neuropsychologist
    • Social Worker
    • Correctional Mental Health Clinician
    • Legal Consultant in Mental Health
    • Psychometrist
    • Behavioral Health Specialist

  • Experience Level

    This training is designed for licensed and pre-licensed mental health professionals with varying levels of experience in the assessment of malingering and feigning.

    • Beginner: Participants with limited or no prior experience in malingering assessment who seek foundational knowledge of key concepts, instruments, and techniques.

    • Intermediate: Participants with some experience in forensic or clinical assessment who wish to deepen their understanding of current issues, research developments, and the integration of multiple assessment tools.

    • Advanced: Participants with substantial experience in forensic assessment who are interested in critically evaluating recent advances, methodological considerations, and the impact of diversity and comorbid conditions on malingering assessment.

  • Practice Setting

    Professionals who attend this workshop typically work in environments where mental health intersects with legal, correctional, or forensic systems. Their practice settings often involve conducting assessments, providing expert opinions, and collaborating with legal or correctional staff. These environments require careful evaluation of individuals’ mental health status, particularly in situations where the authenticity of reported symptoms is in question. Professionals may work with diverse populations and must consider cultural, linguistic, and clinical complexities in their assessments.

    Examples of Practice Settings:

    • Forensic psychiatric hospitals
    • Correctional facilities and jails
    • Court clinics or legal consultation offices
    • Community mental health centers with forensic services
    • Private practices specializing in forensic assessment
    • State or federal agencies conducting disability or competency evaluations
    • Academic or research institutions focused on forensic mental health
    • Hospitals with forensic or neuropsychological assessment units
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.