Structured Inventory of Malingered Symptomatology

Structured Inventory of Malingered Symptomatology

The Structured Inventory of Malingered Symptomatology (SIMS) is a psychological assessment tool designed to identify individuals who may be feigning or exaggerating symptoms of mental disorders. It is commonly used in forensic and clinical settings to assess the credibility of reported symptoms.

Development and Purpose

The SIMS was developed to address the need for a reliable and valid measure of symptom malingering. It is based on the premise that individuals who are malingering will endorse a higher number of atypical or rare symptoms that are not typically seen in genuine cases of mental illness. The inventory consists of a series of statements that respondents must rate as true or false, with the aim of detecting inconsistencies and improbable symptom patterns.

Structure and Scales

The SIMS is composed of several scales, each targeting different types of symptoms that are often exaggerated or feigned. These scales include:

• Psychosis: This scale assesses the endorsement of symptoms typically associated with psychotic disorders, such as hallucinations and delusions.
• Neurological Impairment: This scale evaluates symptoms related to cognitive and neurological dysfunctions.
• Affective Disorders: This scale measures symptoms related to mood disorders, such as depression and mania.
• Amnestic Disorders: This scale focuses on memory-related symptoms that are often exaggerated in malingering.
• Low Intelligence: This scale assesses the endorsement of symptoms related to intellectual functioning.

Administration and Scoring

The SIMS is administered as a self-report questionnaire, typically taking about 15-20 minutes to complete. Each item is scored as either true or false, and the results are used to calculate scores for each of the scales. High scores on these scales suggest a greater likelihood of malingering.

Applications

The SIMS is widely used in various settings, including:

• Forensic Psychology: To assess the credibility of defendants' claims of mental illness in legal contexts.
• Clinical Psychology: To evaluate patients who may be exaggerating symptoms for secondary gain, such as obtaining disability benefits.
• Research: To study malingering and its impact on psychological assessment.

Limitations

While the SIMS is a valuable tool, it is not without limitations. It should not be used as the sole determinant of malingering, as it is one component of a comprehensive assessment. The results should be interpreted in conjunction with other clinical data and professional judgment.

Related pages

• Malingering
• Psychological Assessment
• Forensic Psychology
• Symptom Validity Testing