Research on Symptom Validity Tests (SVTs): Methodological Considerations and Future Directions

Abstract The assessment of symptom validity plays a major role in most forensic and non-forensic psychological evaluations, and symptom validity tests (SVTs) are commonly used instruments in these evaluations. As SVT research has expanded dramatically in recent years, the time has come to reflect on and further refine the methodological standards guiding this growing body of work. In this article, we review current practices, propose refinements and future directions, and invite further scholarly dialogue on which lines of SVT research are most urgently needed and how such studies should ideally be designed. First, we describe the current status of SVT research and highlight several key open questions. In particular, we note that, compared to the substantial progress made in the field of performance validity testing – where numerous well-validated measures are available and clear professional consensus has emerged regarding best practices for integrating results from multiple tests – far fewer fully validated SVTs currently exist, and much less is known about how to combine results from multiple SVTs. We then discuss the strengths and limitations of commonly used research methods for evaluating the psychometric properties of existing SVTs and underscore the need for clearer guidelines for criterion-group studies, for which we therefore offer some initial recommendations. More specifically, for criterion-group studies we suggest that (a) validity classifications should be based on multiple, rather than single, validity indicators; (b) in the absence of a universally accepted gold standard, SVTs with the strongest empirical foundation should be preferred as criterion variables; and (c) optimal cut scores for these criterion variables should draw on the most recent meta-analytic or research survey findings rather than relying solely on test manuals. Ultimately, our goal is to stimulate scholarly contributions and advance the development of a coherent methodological framework to guide future research on symptom validity testing, and we invite comments, critiques, and proposals to support this collaborative effort.