Applying the asymmetric information management (AIM) technique to the detection of malingering

Left undetected, malingering burdens the healthcare system and can have deleterious effects on those exposed to unnecessary intervention. The present study constitutes a novel application of the asymmetric information management (AIM) technique, a cognitive lie-detection tool. Previous research has found it to enhance clues to deceit by affecting a veracity-dependent divergence in verbal output. To explore if this would emerge in the context of malingering, 56 participants were tasked with providing a convincing account of illness under interview. The AIM technique elicited more overall details from genuine presentations as expected, but failed to suppress the verbal output of malingerers. Findings indicate the tool to be ineffective in the detection of fabricated complaints, but offers potential utility in encouraging disclosure amongst those seeking to minimise genuine symptoms.