Assessing Malingered Auditory Verbal Hallucinations in Forensic and Clinical Settings

Article Figures & Data

Table 1

Differences Between Malingered Voice-Hearing in Forensic and Clinical Settings

	Forensic	Clinical
Presentation	Calls attention to voices initially, but vague, evasive, and inconsistent with detailed questioning	Calls attention to voices initially, but vague, evasive, and inconsistent with detailed questioning
Secondary gain	Exculpation from criminal charges	Obtaining services
Voice characteristics	“Atypical,” cartoonishly exaggerated	Overlapping with drug-induced symptoms or nonhallucinatory experiences such as depressive ruminations
Voice content	Commanding violence or other criminal behavior	Commanding suicide (less commonly with violence toward others)
Compliance	Claimed due to malingered delusions	Claimed due to mood-congruence
Clinical course	Persistent while still in a forensic setting	Voices and contingent claims of suicide resolve once services are obtained