PY3107 - Chapter 12 - Forensic Psychological Testing and Assessment

PY3107 - Chapter 12 - Forensic Psychological Testing and Assessment

1. "Forensis" - of the Forum

2. Expert Witness

3. USA: Must satisfy The Daubert Criteria

   • Tests must be theoretically and psychometrically sound
   • Draw conclusions from scientifically validated theories
   • Testimony needs to be weighed and based on theory and research
   • Know how to defend the scientific basis of method

4. Criminal Jurisdictions

   • For sentencing puposes
   • Determine mental state
     • Ability to stand trial

5. Civil Jurisdictions

   • Extent of personal injury
   • Effect of unfair dismissal
   • Capacity to make financial decisions, e.g. changing a will

6. Family Jurisdiction

   • Deciding custody of children
   • Removing children from parents

7. Different from Therapeutic in that Forensic assessment:

   • Provides assistance in legal decisions - not therapy
   • Objective/professional stance to client - not helper
   • Client is decision maker or referral agent
   • Purpose of assessment is explicitly stated to evaluated person
   • Legal standards need to be taken into account
   • Choice of tests needs to be considered in light of legal standards
   • Accuracy of assessment cannot be taken on face value
   • Reports, reasoning, findings expected to be scrutinized and challenged

8. Commonly used tests and techniques

   • Forensic Assessment Instruments
     • Competency to Stand Trial
       • Competency Screening Test (CST)
         • Understanding of proceedings
           • Relationship with lawyer
             • Ability to emotionally deal
       • MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool - Criminal Adjudication (MacCAT-CA)
         • Understanding
           • Reasoning
             • Appreciation
         • Haggis McCATtus
     • Custody Evaluation
       • Interview - Child and Adults seperately
       • Ackerman-Schoendorf Scales of Parent Evaluation of Custody (ASPECT)
         • Observational Scale
           • Social Scale
             • Cognitive Scale
           • Based on questionnaire, interview, observation with/without kid + IQ test child
   • Forensically Relevant Instruments
     • Psychopathy
     • Risk Assessment
       • Clinical-Psychological
         • Can make use of info not readily available
           • EXPERIENCE BASED
       • Actuarial Methods (Statistical)
         • Less prone to bias
           • MATHEMATICALLY BASED
       • Violence Risk Appraisal Guide (VRAG)
       • Static-99
         • Demographic
           • Criminal Record
             • Victim Info
       • Juvenile Sex Offender Assessment Protocol - Version II (J-SOAP-II)
         • Stable - Sexual Drive/Preoccupation
           • Stable - Impulsive-Antisocial
             • Dynamic - Intervention
               • Dynamic - Community Stability/Adjustment
       • Psychopathy Checklist Revised (PCL-R)
       • Generally of RECIDIVISM
     • Malingering
       • The Structured Interview of Reported Symptoms (SIRS)
         • Symptoms that are unlikely to be true
           • Rare
             • Improbable/Absurd
               • Combinations
                 • Subtle
                   • Blatant
                     • Severity
                       • Selectivity
                         • Reported vs observed
       • Test of Memory Malingering (TOMM)
   • Clinical Instruments
     • WAIS-IV
     • MMPI-2
     • BDI-2

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