The authors argue that the scientific validity of Symptom Validity Tests (SVTs) and Performance Validity Tests (PVTs) is not supported by any evidence of leading to erroneous legal outcomes, in contrast to other forensic evidence types such as bite mark analysis.
Leonhard and Leonhard (2025) argue that Symptom Validity Tests (SVTs) and Performance Validity Tests (PVTs) constitute a form of junk science. This qualification stands in sharp contrast to the breadth and depth of the scientific work on validity tests. Leonhard and Leonhard treat these tests as if they were equivalent to polygraph evidence, a move that betrays a fundamental misunderstanding of the conceptual and empirical foundations of these instruments. More than a year ago, we invited Leonhard and Leonhard to provide case law examples —if only a few— demonstrating that SVTs and/or PVTs contributed to risky legal decisions. So far, they have not been willing or able to cite a single instance. We therefore reiterate our invitation: show us the cases.
Merckelbach et al. (Sun,) reported a other. The authors argue that the scientific validity of Symptom Validity Tests (SVTs) and Performance Validity Tests (PVTs) is not supported by any evidence of leading to erroneous legal outcomes, in contrast to other forensic evidence types such as bite mark analysis.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: