Browsing by Subject "Dissimulation"

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    Self-deception in forensic self-reports: Detection, effects and testing the model
    (Universidad de Murcia. Servicio de Publicaciones, 2025-10) Arce, Ramón; Fariña, Francisca; Sanmarco, Jéssica; Novo, Mercedes; Sin departamento asociado
    Background/aims: Dissimulation, understood as a positive self-presentation in self-reports, is suspected in child custody dispute forensic evaluations. Dissimulation is displayed through two-manifestations: con-cealment of negative qualities (denial of symptoms) and claiming non-existent positive qualities or exaggerating existing ones (social desirability). Moreover, the nature of dissimulation may be conscious (impression man-agement) or unconscious (self-deception). Nevertheless, the effects of self-deception in self-reports of parents involved child custody forensic dis-putes are unknown. Thus, a field study was designed with the aim of de-termining the efficacy of self-deception measures, the effects of dissimula-tion on self-reported mental health markers, and to test the purportedly unconscious nature of self-deception. Method: 223 parents involved in court-mandated child custody proceedings endorsed the MMPI-2 and 100 parents from intact families under standard instructions. The K, S, Esd and PMH4 measures of self-deception, the standard clinical scales and the ob-vious and subtle subscales were scored. Results: The results exhibited signif-icant higher scores, consistent with dissimulation, were observed in the population suspected of dissimulation (child custody litigants) in K, S, and Esd scales; and a significant association between dissimulation classification and dissimulation suspected population. In relation to the effects of dis-simulation, the results showed that the suspected population of dissimula-tion reported significantly fewer clinical symptoms (denial of symptoms) and more positive qualities related to being granted child custody (social desirability). Finally, the results suggested that the underlying process of self-deception is not unconscious for the individual exercising conscious control over his/her biased responses. Discussion: The implications of the results for forensic psychology evaluation of child custody dispute cases and the two-component model for dissimulation are discussed.