What is the literary device frequently contrived in the first-person in which the focalizer operates from a compromised perspective a precarious psychological state or a lack of credibility?
The literary device you are referring to is an unreliable narrator. This narrator's credibility is called into question due to their compromised perspective, which can result from a variety of reasons such as mental instability, personal biases, or intentional deceit. Readers must critically assess the information presented by an unreliable narrator to uncover the truth of the narrative.