A Survey of Psychological Test Use Patterns Among Forensic Psychologists

TLDR

Clinical psychologists frequently testify in court, and admissibility hinges on whether their methods are generally accepted in the field. The study aimed to evaluate the psychological tests employed in forensic assessments by members of the American Psychology‑Law Society Division and American Board of Forensic Psychology diplomates. Researchers surveyed 152 respondents to document the types of tests used in adult forensic evaluations, including multiscale inventories, single‑scale tests, personality, cognitive, neuropsychological, risk‑assessment, psychopathy, sex‑offender, competency, and malingering instruments. The survey revealed extensive use of diverse test batteries across adult cases and also reported findings on psychological testing in child‑related forensic contexts.

Abstract

Clinical psychologists are frequently called on to testify in court regarding mental health issues in civil or criminal cases. One of the legal criteria by which admissibility of testimony is determined includes whether the testimony is based on methods that have gained "general acceptance" in their field. In this study, we sought to evaluate the psychological tests used in forensic assessments by members of the American Psychology-Law Society Division of the American Psychological Association, and by diplomates in the American Board of Forensic Psychology. We present test results from this survey, based on 152 respondents, for forensic evaluations conducted with adults using multiscale inventories, single-scale tests, unstructured personality tests, cognitive and/or intellectual tests, neuropsychological tests, risk assessment and psychopathy instruments, sex offender risk assessment instruments, competency or sanity-related instruments, and instruments used to evaluate malingering. In addition, we provide findings for psychological testing involving child-related forensic issues.