6 Hours / 6 CEs

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

The on-demand professional training program on DSM-5: Developments for Forensic Applications is presented by Christina Pietz, Ph.D., ABPP, in partnership with The American Board of Forensic Psychology.

This program provides an overview of the changes made in the latest version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), with special attention to how these changes impact psychologists’ work in forensic matters. Also discussed are more general problems that can result from including diagnoses in reports summarizing forensic psychological examinations. Participants review reports for the purpose of discussing how changes in the DSM may affect their forensic opinions.

Learning Objectives

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

  • 1 Describe the changes made in the latest version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5)
  • 2 Describe how these changes impact psychologists’ work in forensic matters
  • 3 Describe problems that can result from including diagnoses in reports
  • 4 Describe the rationale and process for revisions from DSM-IV-TR to DSM-5, including the shift to a dimensional approach in select diagnostic categories
  • 5 Describe changes to specific diagnostic criteria for major mental disorders relevant to forensic assessment

  • Intended Audience

    This training is intended for psychologists and mental health professionals specializing in forensic psychology, with a focus on the assessment and reporting of mental health diagnoses for legal or court-related purposes. It is designed for those seeking to enhance their expertise in psychological evaluation and legal report writing for courts and other legal entities.


    Examples of Relevant Professionals:
    • Forensic Psychologists
    • Clinical Psychologists involved in legal cases
    • Mental Health Professionals
    • Expert Witnesses in mental health
    • Court-Appointed Evaluators
    • Psychiatrists providing forensic assessments
    • Legal Consultants in mental health

  • Experience Level

    This training is appropriate for mental health professionals at various stages of experience with the DSM-5 and forensic assessment.

    • Beginner: Participants are new to the DSM-5 or forensic psychological assessment and seek foundational knowledge of recent diagnostic changes and their implications for forensic work.

    • Intermediate: Participants have some experience using the DSM-5 in clinical or forensic settings and wish to deepen their understanding of recent revisions, their impact on forensic opinions, and common challenges in reporting diagnoses.

    • Advanced: Participants are highly experienced with the DSM-5 and forensic assessment, aiming to critically evaluate nuanced diagnostic changes, complex reporting issues, and the rationale behind the DSM’s evolution in forensic contexts.

  • Practice Setting

    These professionals practice in legal-clinical environments where DSM-5 diagnostic judgments directly inform court-related evaluations, written reports, and opinions. Their work emphasizes structured assessment, clear documentation, and testimony or consultation under court orders or statutory and agency mandates.

    Examples of Practice Settings:
    • Court clinics and pretrial services units
    • Forensic inpatient units and state hospitals
    • Correctional facilities (jail/prison mental health services)
    • Private forensic practices and consultancies
    • Community mental health centers with forensic programs
    • Child protection/dependency evaluation units
    • Veterans/military forensic evaluation programs
    • Government agencies (probation/parole, public defender/prosecutor offices)

Presented By

Christina Pietz, PhD, ABPP Forensic Psychologist at the United States Medical Center for Federal Prisoners

Christina A. Pietz, PhD, ABPP, is a Forensic Psychologist at the United States Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield, MO, and at Burrell Behavioral Health. She has completed psychological evaluations for federal courts throughout the United States, and she has testified as an expert witness in federal court, state court, and military court. Dr. Pietz is also Director of Forensic Training at the Forest Institute of Professional Psychology and Past President of the American Board of Forensic Psychology. Currently, she serves on the American Board of Psychology Board of Trustees as the representative for the American Board of Forensic Psychology.

View More Programs from this Presenter
Christina Pietz, PhD, ABPP
We are proud to partner with

American Academy of Forensic Psychology (AAFP)

American Academy of Forensic Psychology (AAFP)

We are proud to partner with the American Academy of Forensic Psychology (AAFP) for this training. AAFP is a non-profit organization of board-certified forensic psychologists whose mission is to contribute to the development and maintenance of forensic psychology as a specialized field of study, research, and practice. The Academy does this by providing high-quality continuing education workshops, providing a forum for the exchange of scientific information among its members, and conferring awards upon outstanding students and practitioners in the field of forensic psychology.

Learn More About Our Partner

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.