Table 1

Data Domains to Consider in the Evaluation of False PTSD

Domain	Analysis to Include
Work	Performance appraisals and disciplinary actions
School	Grades, evaluations, test scores, and correspondence
Friends and family	Interviews that can corroborate symptoms, particularly ones the evaluee may be unaware of (e.g., movement while sleeping or dissociation episodes). Caution is warranted in interpretation of these data because close friends or family may have a vested interest in the outcome of the evaluation.
Police	Arrest records, police reports, or witness statements concerning criminality or past trauma
Correctional	Any custody records of the evaluee's observed behaviors and activities while incarcerated
Military	The DD-214 (certificate of release or discharge from active duty that lists awards that pertain to actions, wounds, and deployments), evaluations, and disciplinary actions. Given that these records can be forged, evaluators may consider ordering them directly from the National Personnel Records Center online via a SF-180 request form.
Courts	Depositions or transcripts of civil, criminal, or administrative hearings
Medical/psychiatric	Past psychiatric and medical evaluations, diagnoses, and treatment. Medical records warrant careful review because non-mental health care providers often do not describe mental health concerns unless they are a chief complaint.