Essentials of Forensic Psychological Assessment


Book Description

Quickly acquire the knowledge and skills you need to confidently administer, score, and interpret the key assessment instruments used by forensic psychologists Mental health professionals are frequently called on to perform forensic assessments for a wide variety of court cases. To use these instruments properly, professionals need an authoritative source of advice and guidance on how to administer, score, and interpret them. Now fully revised and in a second edition, Essentials of Forensic Psychological Assessment is that source. The Second Edition is completely updated to reflect current research and theory in the field, including the most recent codes and standards published by the American Psychological Association. In addition, this volume offers updated coverage of the most frequently used instruments in forensic psychological assessments, including the MMPI®-2 and MMPI-2-RF, PAI®, Rorschach®, ASPECT, and various neuropsychological assessment instruments. Like all the volumes in the Essentials of Psychological Assessment series, this book is designed to help busy mental health practitioners, and those in training, quickly acquire the knowledge and skills they need to make optimal use of major psychological assessment instruments. Each concise chapter features numerous callout boxes highlighting key concepts, bulleted points, and extensive illustrative material, as well as test questions that help you gauge and reinforce your grasp of the information covered. Written by a noted forensic psychologist, the Second Edition offers in-depth coverage of maltreatment and domestic violence, as well as the assessment of recidivism, fitness to stand trial, civil commitment, substance abuse assessment, custody evaluations, personal injury assessments, and many other aspects of forensic mental health practice.




Evaluation of Criminal Responsibility


Book Description

Forensic mental health assessment (FMHA) has grown into a specialization informed by research and professional guidelines. This series presents up-to-date information on the most important and frequently conducted forms of FMHA. The 19 topical volumes address best approaches to practice for particular types of evaluation in the criminal, civil and juvenile/family areas. Each volume contains a thorough discussion of the relevant legal and psychological concepts, followed by a step-by-step description of the assessment process from preparing for the evaluation to writing the report and testifying in court. Volumes include the following helpful features: - Boxes that zero in on important information for use in evaluations - Tips for best practice and cautions against common pitfalls - Highlighting of relevant case law and statutes - Separate list of assessment tools for easy reference - Helpful glossary of key terms for the particular topic In making recommendations for best practice, authos consider empirical support, legal relevance, and consistency with ethical and professional standards. These volumes offer invaluable guidance for anyone involved in conducting or using forensic evaluations.




Forensic Psychological Assessment in Immigration Court


Book Description

Forensic Psychological Assessment in Immigration Court is an essential specialized guide for psychologists and clinicians who work with immigrants. Immigration evaluations differ in many ways from other types of forensic assessments because of the psycholegal issues that extend beyond the individual, including family dynamics, social context, and cross-cultural concerns. Immigrants are often victims of trauma and require specialized expertise to elicit the information needed for assessment. Having spent much of their professional careers as practicing forensic psychologists, authors Evans and Hass have compiled a comprehensive text that draws on forensic psychology, psychological assessment, traumatology, family processes, and national and international political forces to present an approach for the effective and ethical practice of forensic psychological assessment in Immigration Court.




Essentials of Psychological Tele-Assessment


Book Description

Discover a comprehensive and practical guide to the use of tele-assessments in psychological testing from two leading voices in psychology. Essentials of Psychological Tele-Assessment delivers a primer on the current state of professional knowledge related to psychological tele-assessment, ranging from the ethical and empirical considerations to the practical applications of tele-assessment procedures. The overarching framework encourages the balancing of the limitations of the current state of the research literature with the very real needs for assessment services to continue, even when in-person procedures are not feasible. This book includes discussion on a broad range of tests and measures, with information related to both the state of the empirical support for tele-tests and measures, with information related to both the state of the empirical support for tele-assessment utilizing them and the practical 'how-to' for administering, scoring and interpreting daa that emerge from them. Additionally, frameworks for integrating the data that emerge from tele-assessment procedures are discussed. The book is applicable to those transitioning to tele-assessment practice and those training in a wide variety of training programs. Readers will also benefit from the inclusion of: - Practical checklists and information about specific tests must be adapted to the realities of the tele-health environment. - Information about how the resutls of tests should be interpreted differently to account for the tele-health environment. -Case examples and studies to illustrate many of the challenges of working in tele-assessment -Guidance on how to balance the limitations of the state of the empirical literature on the validity of tele-assessment with the real-world needs of clients. Perfect for psychologists and trainees in a variety of health services, including clinical, counseling, school and forensic psychology, Essentials of Psychological Tele-Assessment will also earn a place in the libraries of anyone utilizing or training in cognitive, developmental, neuropsychological, psychoanalytic, psychodynamic, and interpersonal models of psychological assessment.




Fundamentals of Forensic Practice


Book Description

Forensic psychologists and psychiatrists are increasingly asked to provide expertise to courts and attorneys in the criminal justice system. To do so effectively, they must stay abreast of important advances in the understanding of legal standards as well as new developments in sophisticated measures and the methods for their assessment. Fundamentals of Forensic Practice is designed to address the critical issues that are faced by mental health experts in their role of conducting assessments, presenting findings, and preparing for challenges to admissibility and credibility. Uniquely practical and comprehensive, this volume operationalizes legal standards and describes empirically validated methods for their evaluation. Not only is this essential for mental health professionals, but it is equally valuable to criminal attorneys. Lawyers require both clinical knowledge and understanding of legal standards in order to prepare their own experts and to challenge those on the opposing side. For both clinical and legal experts Fundamentals of Forensic Practice offers a full view of all phases of criminal proceedings: - Pretrial—diversion, determinations of bail, waivers of Miranda rights, and the capacity to consent to searches. - Trial—competency to stand trial and criminal responsibility. Beyond insanity, the latter addresses mens rea, automatism, and psychological context evidence, such as battered-woman syndrome. - Post-trial—sentencing, capital sentencing, competency to be executed, and other post-conviction issues. Other key features include: - Chapters on specific criminal issues in a consistent format, with comprehensive coverage of legal standards and relevant clinical methods - Guidelines for conducting more effective forensic evaluations - In-depth coverage of specialized assessments, eg. malingering, sexual predator cases, and the insanity defense. - A detailed overview of direct and cross-examination strategies This book is the second collaboration between Rogers and Shuman. As individual authors, each received the American Psychiatric Association’s prestigious Guttmacher Award for their outstanding contributions to forensic psychiatry.




Essentials of Processing Assessment, 3rd Edition


Book Description

A critical handbook for practitioners and clinicians engaged in processing assessments In the newly revised third edition of Essentials of Processing Assessment, a team of distinguished practitioners delivers an expert framework for planning, conducting, and interpreting an assessment of psychological processes. Emphasizing a pattern-of-strengths-and-weaknesses (PSW) perspective, the book offers an overview of evidence-based interventions for various psychological processes. In the book, readers will review cognitive processing theories, apply a PSW model for specific learning disability (SLD) identifications, review the relationships between psychological processes and specific kinds of achievement, and detailed information on how to assess 14 different processes covered in the model. Readers will also find: Step-by-step guidelines and worksheets that walk readers through the analysis and interpretation of test results Strategies for identifying students with specific learning disabilities Information about major cognitive and memory scales, as well as scales designed for processing assessment An essential handbook for psychologists and other practitioners and clinicians engaged in processing assessments of children and adults, Essentials of Processing Assessment, 3rd Edition will earn a place in the libraries of anyone seeking to make more accurate diagnoses and identify more effective treatments.




Evaluation of Competence to Stand Trial


Book Description

Forensic mental health assessment (FMHA) has grown into a specialization informed by research and professional guidelines. This series presents up-to-date information on the most important and frequently conducted forms of FMHA. The 19 topical volumes address best approaches to practice for particular types of evaluation in the criminal, civil, and juvenile/family areas. Each volume contains a thorough discussion of the relevant legal and psychological concepts, followed by a step-by-step description of the assessment process from preparing for the evaluation to writing the report and testifying in court. Volumes include the following helpful features: - Boxes that zero in on important information for use in evaluations - Tips for best practice and cautions against common pitfalls - Highlighting of relevant case law and statutes - Separate list of assessment tools for easy reference - Helpful glossary of key terms for the particular topic In making recommendations for best practice, authors consider empirical support, legal relevance, and consistency with ethical and professional standards. These volumes offer invaluable guidance for anyone involved in conducting or using forensic evaluations.




Forensic Psychological Assessment in Practice


Book Description

Forensic Psychological Assessment in Practice: Case Studies presents a set of forensic criminal cases as examples of a scientist-practitioner model for forensic psychological assessment. The cases involve a number of forensic issues, such as criminal responsibility, violence risk assessment, treatment planning, and referral to long term forensic care. Likewise, different types of offenses are covered, for example, sexual offending, arson, homicide, robbery and domestic violence. The authors address a variety of mental disorders including psychosis, posttraumatic stress disorder, psychopathy and other personality disorders. The book will be useful for novice and experienced forensic psychologists and psychiatrists who are looking for case studies that integrate the most recent empirical evidence with psychological test findings.




Psychological Evaluations for the Courts, Fourth Edition


Book Description

Tens of thousands of readers have relied on this leading text and practitioner reference--now revised and updated--to understand the issues the legal system most commonly asks mental health professionals to address. Highly readable, the volume demystifies the forensic psychological assessment process and provides guidelines for participating effectively and ethically in legal proceedings. Presented are clinical and legal concepts and evidence-based assessment procedures pertaining to criminal and civil competencies, the insanity defense and related doctrines, sentencing, civil commitment, personal injury claims, antidiscrimination laws, child custody, juvenile justice, and other justice-related areas. Case examples, exercises, and a glossary facilitate learning; 19 sample reports illustrate how to conduct and write up thorough, legally admissible evaluations. New to This Edition *Extensively revised to reflect important legal, empirical, and clinical developments. *Increased attention to medical and neuroscientific research. *New protocols relevant to competence, risk assessment, child custody, and mental injury evaluations. *Updates on insanity, sentencing, civil commitment, the Americans with Disabilities Act, Social Security, juvenile and family law, and the admissibility of expert testimony. *Material on immigration law (including a sample report) and international law. *New and revised sample reports.




Essentials of Psychological Assessment Supervision


Book Description

The only pocket-size reference on supervising psychological testing and assessment In 2014, the American Psychological Association (APA) adopted a set of guidelines for clinical supervision for health service psychology. While technically covered by these guidelines, supervising clinical psychological assessment includes additional tasks (such as ensuring accurate administration, scoring, and interpretation of tests) and tensions. Supervisors must often instruct supervisees on the data-integration process—which can involve more direct teaching than standard clinical supervision—while encompassing the same interpersonal, therapeutic, and less structured guiding aspects as psychotherapy supervision. It is increasingly common to view clinical supervision in the assessment process and supervision of psychotherapy as two significantly different tasks. Surprisingly, there is very little training and guidance available on appropriate, effective, and beneficial methods of psychological assessment supervision. Essentials of Psychological Assessment Supervision seeks to remedy the lack of literature in this area, offering guidance on supervising psychological testing and assessment. This much-needed guide provides supervisors with authoritative, up-to-date information on guidelines relevant to assessment supervision. Additionally, detailed coverage of supervision of cognitive, personality/emotional, psychoeducational, neuropsychological, forensic, and therapeutic assessments, among others, provide supervisors with guidance and structure in the supervision process. Focusing on practical application, this book offers guidance on topics such as assessment models appropriate in different areas of assessment; diversity issues; evaluation and feedback of supervisee performance; and ethical, legal, and regulatory considerations relevant in each assessment context. An invaluable resource for practitioners, this book: Offers practical advice on supervising a wide range of clinical psychological assessments Includes contributions from experts in their respective subfields Provides guidance on incorporating new American Psychological Association (APA) and Society for Personality Assessment (SPA) guidelines into the supervision process Fills an urgent need for an up-to-date reference on assessment supervision Essentials of Psychological Assessment Supervision is a must-have reference for both psychology practitioners who supervise the assessment process and instructors of psychological testing and assessment.




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