In prior blog entries, I have discussed the illegitimacy of the Fake Bad Scale used by defense neuropsychologists to deprive worthy claimants of fair compensation.  Last week, David Armstrong, a Wall Street Journal reporter, after a multi-month investigation, revealed the scientific invalidity of the Fake Bad Scale, exposing how the University of Minnesota press convened a panel of “experts” who failed or simply chose to ignore numerous studies in its analysis in deciding to include the FBS as part of the decision to make the Fake Bad Scale a subset of the Minnesota Multifacet Personality Inventory (MMPI). 

 

Mr. Armstrong quotes extensively from Dr. James Butcher, a leading expert on the MMPI and one of its major investigators.  Dr. Butcher is quoted, saying,“Virtually everyone is a malingerer according to this scale.  This is great for insurance companies, but not great for people.”

 

Mr. Armstrong also documents that the American Psychological Association’s committee on disabilities has protested to the publisher that it had acted prematurely in adopting the Fake Bad Scale as a subset of the MMPI. 

 

This is an important article for those facing a defense neuropsychologist who is utilizing the Fake Bad Scale to label one’s client a malingerer in an attempt to deny fair compensation. It exposes the biases and the unscientific and unprofessional manner in which a small group of interested parties who will profit from the royalties ignore opposing viewpoints, fail to conduct blind studies and fail to conduct proper research.
Mr. Armstrong is to be applauded for exposing this farce that is depriving those with injuries from being fairly treated.