The Structured Inventory of Malingered Symptomatology (SIMS): A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

We meta-analytically reviewed studies that used the Structured Inventory of Malingered Symptomatology (SIMS) to detect feigned psychopathology. We present weighted mean diagnostic accuracy and predictive power indices in various populations, based on 31 studies, including 61 subsamples and 4009 SIMS protocols. In addition, we provide normative data of patients, claimants, defendants, nonclinical adults, and various experimental feigners, based on 41 studies, including 125 subsamples and 4810 SIMS protocols. We conclude that the SIMS (1) is able to differentiate well between instructed feigners and honest responders; (2) generates heightened scores in groups that are known to have a raised prevalence of feigning (e.g., offenders who claim crime-related amnesia); (3) may overestimate feigning in patients who suffer from schizophrenia, intellectual disability, or psychogenic non-epileptic seizures; and (4) is fairly robust against coaching. The diagnostic power of the traditional cut scores of the SIMS (i.e., > 14 and > 16) is not so much limited by their sensitivity—which is satisfactory—but rather by their substandard specificity. This, however, can be worked around by combining the SIMS with other symptom validity measures and by raising the cut score, although the latter solution sacrifices sensitivity for specificity.

Alexithymia as a potential source of symptom over‐reporting: An exploratory study in forensic patients and non‐forensic participants

“…Symptom over-reporting was measured with items taken from the Structured Inventory of Malingered Symptomatology (SIMS, Smith & Burger, 1997), which lists 75 bizarre and eccentric symptoms such as: "Sometimes when writing a phone number, I notice that the numbers come out backwards even though I don't mean to do it." Typically, SIMS items are presented in a yes/noformat and a cut point of 16 is employed to identify over-reporting (Van Impelen, Merckelbach, Jelicic & Merten, 2014). However, as our other measures (see below) relied on nondichotomous response formats, we decided to have participants evaluate the SIMS symptoms on visual analogue scales (VAS).…”

May the choice be with you: assisting practitioners with selecting appropriate psychometric assessments for the medico legal arena

“…It is thoroughly acknowledged that the four instruments included are not the only assessments that can be used to detect feigned psychopathology. Other instruments such as the Structured Inventory of Malingered Symptomology (Smith & Burger, 1997;Widows & Smith, 2005) would meet the criteria but based on a recent meta-analysis by Impelen, Merckelbach, Jelicic and Merten (2014) suggests that the tool would not be effective in civil forensic contexts as milder symptomology are not assessed. The four assessments included are the only assessments that following a narrative review of the literature are appropriate for the medico To answer the question of which test to use, assessors need to consider their current assessment practices and determine how they wish to implement changes.…”

Einsatz des Beschwerdenvalidierungstests BEVA in der sozialmedizinischen Begutachtung

“…Diese Tatsache zeigen die Ergebnisse einer umfassenden Metaanalyse. In den meisten inkludierten Studien wies der SFSS eine sehr gute Sensitivität und meist nur eine mittlere bis gute Spezifität auf [26]. Weiterhin verdeutlicht die Korrelationsanalyse einen moderaten Zusammenhang zwischen dem Summenwert des BEVA sowie dem des SFSS.…”