Raising doubts about claims of malingering: Implications of relationships between MCMI‐II and MMPI‐2 performances

Test results from 90 personal injury claimants were used to explore the relationship between personality disorders (Dependent, Histrionic, Compulsive, Schizoid, Schizotypal, Paranoid, Narcissistic, Borderline, Antisocial, Avoidant, and Passive‐Aggressive) as assessed by the MCMI‐II and response style measured by MMPI‐2 validity scales (F, K, L, F‐K, O‐S, Es, and FBS). With the exception of the Dependent and Narcissistic scales, all personality disorder scales were found to have a significant relationship with validity indicators in the direction of faking bad. These results suggest that the presence of characterological factors (i.e., a personality disorder), rather than malingering, contributes to exaggerated results in a forensic setting. Implications for future research are addressed.