Translated Measures in Forensic Evaluations with Specific Applications to Feigned Mental Disorders

Forensic assessments continue to grow exponentially from international and transcultural perspectives. As a result, psychological measures are increasingly translated and adapted from their original (source) language to targeted languages. This article begins with broad conceptual issues before proceeding to specific applications. It examines the pitfalls inherent in imposed etic and Western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic (WEIRD)-centric adaptation practices. Recommended guidelines for translating and validating tests are discussed, including those promulgated by the International Test Commission (ITC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). The article then focuses on feigning measures—critically important to forensic evaluations—for differentiating between malingered and genuine mental disorders. Finally, feigning research on translated measures of the MMPI-2 and MMPI-2-RF are featured selectively because of their breadth and depth both in general adaptations and their specific attention to feigned mental disorders.