Dr. Michael Chafetz, invited speaker for the Swedish Neuropsychlogical Society in Stockholm,
August 22, presented his research and other scientific advancements in the area of disability
assessment and malingering.
He also presented his work at the Karolinsk Institute, Danderyg Hospital, and Rehabilitation
Clinic in Stockholm on August 23.
Chafetz is a board certified clinical neuropsychologist working in independent practice
in New Orleans. His research program has involved validity assessment in low functioning
children and adults being assessed for Social Security Disability, state rehabilitation, and child
protection. He has authored numerous peer-reviewed articles on these topics, challenging
assumptions concerning individuals with intellectual disability.
At the Neuropsychological Society Chafetz’s presentation was titled, “The Long and Short of Malingering in Neuropsychological Assessment: Ethical, Scientific, and Practical Concerns.”
He also presented “Validity Assessment in Public Disability Claims,” at the Karolinsk Institute,
Danderyg Hospital on August 23. Dr. Chafetz covered many ethical and scientific issues for the
Swedish neuropsychologists, including understanding the definitions and background
regarding malingering, biological bases, adaptation and behavioral biology, and the rigorous
development of the field. He also reviewed validity and base rates and important metrics for the neuropsychologists in evidence-based methods.
Dr. Chafetz also covered ethics and boundaries regarding the validity examination in disability and numerous case examples, along with the special case of low IQ, malingered pain-related disability, costs of malingering, andmalingering in children.
Also presenting at the conferences were Muriel Lezak, whose book on Neuropsychological Assessment is required reading in the field, and Grant Iverson, who is a leading researcher on validity and on traumatic brain injury.
The conference was organized by Dr. Christian Oldenburg, President of the Eastern Region of the society. Dr. Oldenburg is a neuropsychologist who, along with his colleagues is working to assist the Swedish disability system.
Dr. Chafetz has consulted for a United States Senator on Social Security policy concerning validity assessment, testified at hearings at the Institute of Medicine, and consulted for the Office of the Inspector General on these issues.
He has presented invited addresses at the American Psychological Association, National
Academy of Neuropsychology, American Academy of Clinical Psychology, several state
psychological associations, the Association of Administrative Law Judges, the Federal Administrative Law Judge Conference, and various bar associations.
In 2015, his book on Intellectual Disability in the forensic arena was published by Oxford University Press.