1 Hour / 1 CE

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on Confabulation and Suggestibility: Clinical, Forensic, and Judicial Considerations is presented by Jerrod Brown. Ph.D.

In this program, participants learn about confabulation and suggestibility within clinical, forensic, and judicial settings through a review of relevant research findings, case law, and clinical case studies. Specifically, the program focuses on the impact of confabulation and suggestibility on mental health assessment and treatment completion, arrest and arraignment, false confessions, testimony, competency to stand trial, and other aspects of the criminal justice system process. This includes an overview of the roles of confabulation and suggestibility in interview and interrogative settings. Participants can expect to better understand the contributing factors, red flag indicators, controversies, and misconceptions of confabulation and suggestibility. The program concludes with a discussion of the potential benefits of routine screening for confabulation and suggestibility among clinical and forensic populations.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:

  • 1 Describe key research findings, statistics, and concepts associated with confabulation and suggestibility
  • 2 Describe a basic understanding of confabulation and suggestibility within clinical, forensic, and judicial settings
  • 3
    Describe the challenges that confabulation and suggestibility can present for clinical and forensic professionals
  • 4 Describe basic knowledge of the Gudjonsson Suggestibility Scales
  • 5 Describe the topic of interrogative suggestibility and confabulation within interrogation settings
  • 6 Describe the controversies and misconceptions associated with confabulation and suggestibility

  • Intended Audience

    This training is designed for mental health and legal professionals seeking to deepen their understanding of how confabulation and suggestibility affect clinical and forensic evaluations. The program explores the impact of suggestibility on a defendant’s competence-related abilities and provides practical insights for professionals working in a variety of settings. The content is relevant for those specializing in forensic assessment, clinical evaluation, or legal psychology, and is suitable for professionals at all career stages.

  • Experience Level

    This training is applicable for all career stages: entry-level, mid-career, and experienced professionals.

  • Practice Setting

    • Mental health professionals (psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, counselors)

    • Legal professionals (attorneys, judges, legal consultants)

    • Forensic evaluators and experts

    • Professionals working in:
        • - Criminal justice settings
        - Courts and correctional facilities
        - Healthcare and mental health agencies
        - Social service organizations
        - Educational settings

Presented By

Jerrod Brown, PhD

Jerrod Brown, PhD, is the Treatment Director for Pathways Counseling Center, Inc., the lead developer of an online Master of Arts degree in Human Services with an emphasis in Forensic Behavioral Health from Concordia University, St. Paul, Minnesota, the founder and CEO of the American Institute for the Advancement of Forensic Studies (AIAFS), and the Editor-in-Chief of Forensic Scholars Today (FST) and the Journal of Special Populations (JSP).

View More Programs from this Presenter
Jerrod Brown, PhD

Training Outline

Key topics covered in this training include:

  • Overview of confabulation

  • Challenges of confabulation

  • Management problems for mental health professionals

CE Sponsorship Information

Palo Alto University, Continuing & Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by, recognized by, or maintains sponsorship provider status with the following boards and agencies. We maintain responsibility for all content in our CE/CPD programs. For more information, visit here. 

  1. American Psychological Association (APA): Approved sponsor of continuing education for psychologists.

  2. Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB): Approved continuing education provider (ACE program, Provider #1480), 11/22/2023–11/22/2026.

  3. Canadian Psychological Association (CPA): Approved to sponsor continuing education for psychologists.

  4. National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC): Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP No. 7190).



Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), SW CPE is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0356 and the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0073. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6811. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. CONCEPT Professional Training, #1480, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. CONCEPT Professional Training maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 11/22/23-11/22/26. Social workers completing this course receive (clinical or social work ethics) continuing education credits.