Deception and Detection in Psychiatric Diagnosis.
Publication/Presentation Date
12-1-1998
Abstract
Deception is ubiquitous in all communication and relationships. It can be conscious, unconscious, or both. It is present in all psychiatric diagnoses as alterations of history, symptom fabrication, symptom enhancement or minimization, and noncompliance with treatment recommendations. We are born better deceivers than we are detectors and untrained intuition may result in very unreliable discrimination. In order to improve our ability to distinguish fact from fiction, the diagnostician must attend to clues in the patient's history and physical and mental status examinations. Laboratory examination, psychological testing, and polygraphy also can be useful adjuncts in detection; however, the first step is always suspicion.
Volume
21
Issue
4
First Page
869
Last Page
893
ISSN
0193-953X
Published In/Presented At
Wiley, S. D. (1998). Deception and detection in psychiatric diagnosis. The Psychiatric Clinics Of North America, 21(4), 869-893.
Disciplines
Psychiatry
PubMedID
9890127
Department(s)
Department of Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry Faculty
Document Type
Article