Continuing & Professional Studies, Palo Alto University

This self-paced training program on Cultural Considerations in Forensic Mental Health Assessment is presented by Barry Rosenfeld, PhD, ABPP

This training program covers a range of issues related to the forensic assessment of individuals from diverse ethnic and linguistic backgrounds. The last decade has witnessed a surge in awareness of the inherent challenges when applying forensic evaluation techniques to individuals from a different culture. Indeed, the expectation that clinicians will maintain an adequate level of “cultural considerations” in both clinical practice and research has never been greater. This training program incorporates the ever-growing research literature on culture and forensic assessment and culminates in a number of guidelines for “best practices.” 

The training program begins with relevant background on the construct of “cultural considerations” and recent legal decisions that have addressed the importance of culturally appropriate assessment techniques. The training program topics follow the timeline of a typical evaluation, with a review of issues and solutions that can be implemented prior to the evaluation begins, such as the role of pre-evaluation cultural research and adaptations to traditional procedures for eliciting consent. This is followed by a review of issues and recommendations for conducting the interview itself, including selection and training of translators, identifying culturally unique symptoms or behaviors, and interpretation of observed behaviors and reported symptoms. 

Finally, the training program focuses on decision-making regarding psychological testing and the interpretation of test results. Relevant ethical issues related to cross-cultural forensic assessment will be integrated throughout the training program, as appropriate. Case vignettes are injected throughout the training program to highlight relevant issues and techniques and elicit audience participation.