Pathological Lying Assessment (PLA)

Most people lie but some lie a lot, (DePaulo et al., <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12144-024-05900-1#ref-CR18">1996</a>). a pathological liar is someone who engages in telling lies all the time, even when there’s no good reason to do so. Some people have a tendency or habit of making up non-stop stories and it becomes regular thing, making it challenging for others to trust them. Pathological lying, also referred to as compulsive or pseudologia fantastica lying, describes a persistent pattern of dishonest behavior that extends beyond occasional or situational deception. Most of lies are for self-protection, compulsive or pseudologic lying can become difficult to control and may impair overall wellbeing.

Research suggests, pathological lying involves multiple psychological processes including habitual deception, impression management, impulsivity, poor behavioral control, and difficulties maintaining truthful interpersonal relationships.

In the initial development of the Pathological Lying Assessment (PLA), it was understood that the characteristics and motivations behind lying can be complex and multifaceted. Part 1 is about behavioral profile of common types of lies reported by the participant, Parts 2 and 3 evaluate the severity of habitual deception and its psychological and social impact.

Participants have to complete the assessment in three parts. Part 1 is a Lying Profile Inventory contains four groups of deceptive behaviors. Participants have to indicate whether they engage in each category and select the specific types of lying behaviors.

Part 2 contains 10 statements: Habitual Deception (5 items) and Self-Presentation (5 items).

Part 3 contains 15 statements: Impulsive Lying (5 items), Control Difficulties (5 items), and Interpersonal Consequences (5 items).

Parts 2 and 3 responses are used to calculate dimension scores and an overall pathological lying severity profile.

Part 1 generates a Lying Profile and Trigger Summary each child item received 1 point but it is calculated separately and does not effect dimensional profile scores.

Part 2 measures two dimensions: Habitual Deception (5 items) | Self-Presentation (5 items)

Part 3 measures three dimensions: Impulsive Lying (5 items) | Control Difficulties (5 items) | Interpersonal Consequences (5 items)

All scored items use a five-point response scale ranging from 0 (Never) to 4 (Very Often).

Five reverse-scored items are included (one within each dimension).

Dimension Score Ranges: Habitual Deception: 0–20, Self-Presentation: 0–20, Impulsive Lying: 0–20, Control Difficulties: 0–20, Interpersonal Consequences: 0–20

Overall Severity Range: 0–100 | Percentage Score = (Raw Score ÷ Maximum Possible Score) × 100

Higher scores indicate greater frequency, persistence, and impact of pathological lying behaviors.

Types of lies.

White lies

Excuses

Exaggerated stories

Half-truths

Broken promises

False compliments

Hiding mistakes

Other everyday lies

Self-image claims.

Achievements

Education

Work experience

Income or finances

Relationships

Personal skills

Life experiences

Other personal claims

Reasons for lying.

To avoid punishment

To avoid conflict

To avoid embarrassment

To escape responsibility

To impress others

To gain attention

To gain personal advantage

To protect someone else

Situations where I lie more often.

With family

With friends

At work or school

Online or social media

With strangers

In romantic relationships

When under pressure

When trying to avoid consequences

I lie about small things.

I exaggerate stories.

I hide parts of the truth.

I tell different versions of the same event.

I am consistently honest in everyday situations.

I make myself sound more successful.

I overstate my achievements.

I make stories more interesting than they were.

I enjoy creating a better impression of myself.

I present myself realistically.

I lie without thinking first.

Some lies happen automatically.

I realize I lied only afterward.

I sometimes lie without a clear reason.

I usually think carefully before I speak.

I struggle to stop lying once I begin.

I continue lies to avoid being caught.

I find it difficult to admit the truth.

I keep false stories going even when unnecessary.

I can easily choose honesty when I want to.

My lies have damaged trust.

People question my honesty.

I worry that others will discover my lies.

My dishonesty creates relationship problems.

People generally see me as trustworthy.