In the United States, the Social Security Administration and the Department of Veterans Affairs each offer disability compensation programs that provide benefits for qualified individuals with mental disorders, including PTSD.
[2] Concerns about individuals exploiting benefits can lead to restricted access to these resources, inadvertently making it more difficult for those with PTSD who genuinely need assistance to receive it.
[3] Malingering can lead to a decline in research and subsequent treatment for PTSD as it interferes with true studies.
Malingering cases were also positively correlated with severity of the crimes for subjects in competency to stand trial assessments.
This potential compensation can create an incentive for veterans to malinger PTSD, especially in cases where financial instability or perceived injustice might drive individuals to falsify symptoms.
[13] In such cases, individuals may manipulate the system to gain access to care that they believe they need or may do so to escape external responsibilities or difficulties.
[15] In some cases, individuals may feign PTSD, particularly within military and combat settings, to seek accolades and recognition from their peers.
[17] This diversion not only delays and reduces their access to necessary treatments and support but also consumes resources and time that could be more effectively used for treating genuine cases.
Malingering can complicate legal cases and insurance claims, which leads to higher litigation costs and delays in settlements.
[21] Individuals who are found to be malingering may face legal consequences, including criminal charges, fines, or imprisonment.
PVTs are crucial for identifying instances where individuals may fabricate or exaggerate cognitive impairments related to PTSD.
The current literature modestly supports the effectiveness of the Personality Assessment Inventory or PAI at detecting malingering of post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD.
[45] Many studies on malingering PTSD focus on specific populations, mostly being veterans, which limits generalizability to more diverse groups.
[46] Assessment tools for malingering like the MMPI-2, PAI, and other tests, vary in levels of accuracy depending on the context and population.