20 Hours / 20 CEs

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on Forensic & Correctional Applications of the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) is presented by John F. Edens, PhD. This badge-earning program can be shared digitally on platforms like LinkedIn or your resume and counts towards a certificate. Enroll in this program to earn credit towards Civil Forensic Assessment Certificate and share your new digital credentials with prospective employers and colleagues.

This program is California POST CPE approved for 9 CE hours.

The program provides an overview of the basic design and structure of the PAI and how this measure can be used with forensic populations in an array of contexts (e.g., pre-adjudication, post-adjudication). Forensic applications of the PAI across various referral questions are highlighted, with a description of relevant research, and clinical case examples included to enhance the application of the PAI in practice. Interpretive procedures and empirical results pertaining to the PAI in various forensic settings are described. 

This program overviews the use and interpretation of the PAI for issues of response style, mental disorder, institutional adjustment, and treatment outcome. The importance of self-report assessment in forensic evaluation is discussed, with particular attention to the limitations of other assessment methods and the relevance of pertinent ethical and practice guidelines. The admissibility of expert testimony based on the PAI is addressed, and case examples are reviewed.

Learning Objectives

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

  • 1 Describe the basic design and structure of the PAI
  • 2 Describe general interpretive strategies and guidelines for the PAI
  • 3 Describe the primary PAI scales and indices used to evaluate response style
  • 4 Describe interpretive strategies for the detection of various forms of response distortion on the PAI
  • 5 Describe the primary PAI profile characteristics useful for risk assessment
  • 6 Describe evidence concerning the utility of the PAI in identifying those at increased risk for recidivism and institutional misconduct
  • 7 Describe the primary PAI indicators that reflect treatment needs of examinees
  • 8 Describe the utility of the PAI in identifying psychopathology and personality pathology in criminal populations
  • 9 Describe the primary PAI indicators that provide data regarding treatment responsiveness
  • 10 Describe the limitations of the PAI with respect to evaluating diverse populations
  • 11 Describe issues concerning the uses and admissibility of the PAI in relation to legal cases
  • 12 Describe specialized interpretive reports developed specifically for the PAI
  • 13 Describe the admissibility of testimony based on the PAI

  • Intended Audience

    This training is designed for mental health professionals involved in or interested in forensic assessment and evaluation. It is suitable for practitioners at any stage of their career who wish to expand their expertise in forensic mental health, particularly those who conduct or plan to conduct forensic evaluations or provide expert testimony in legal settings.

    • Mental Health Professional
    • Psychologist
    • Social Worker
    • Counselor

  • Experience Level

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

    • Beginner: Little or no prior experience with the PAI; new to forensic assessment or seeking an introduction to the use, interpretation, and application of the PAI with forensic populations.
    • Intermediate: Some experience administering or interpreting the PAI; seeking to expand understanding of interpretive strategies, response style analysis, and application to diverse forensic referral questions.
    • Advanced: Extensive experience with the PAI in forensic settings; interested in advanced interpretive procedures, research updates, and complex case applications, including expert testimony and specialized reporting.

  • Practice Setting

    Mental health professionals involved in forensic assessment and evaluation typically practice in environments where legal and clinical issues intersect. These settings require collaboration with legal professionals, careful documentation, and adherence to ethical and professional guidelines. Practitioners may work with individuals involved in the criminal or civil justice systems, conducting assessments related to competency, risk, mental state, and treatment needs. The work environment is often structured, with a focus on objective evaluation, report writing, and, at times, providing expert testimony in court.

    • Forensic psychiatric hospitals or units
    • Correctional facilities (jails, prisons, juvenile detention centers)
    • Court clinics or court-appointed evaluation services
    • Private practice specializing in forensic assessment
    • Community mental health centers with forensic programs
    • Government agencies (e.g., departments of mental health, probation, or parole)
    • Academic or research institutions conducting forensic evaluations
    • Law enforcement agencies or legal consultation practices

Presented By

John F. Edens, PhD, Professor of Psychological & Brain Sciences

Dr. John F. Edens, is a Professor of Psychology and formerly the Director of Clinical Training in the Department of Psychology at Texas A&M University (TAMU). He is the lead author of the Personality Assessment Inventory Interpretive Report for Correctional Settings (PAI-CS; Edens & Ruiz, 2005). Dr. Edens received his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from TAMU in 1996 and completed a two-year post-doctoral fellowship in forensic psychology at the University of South Florida in 1998. Dr. Edens’ research and clinical interests focus on forensic mental health assessment and the role of such evidence in legal decision-making. He has published over 150 journal articles and book chapters on these and related topics and is in the top 1% of cited researchers in the fields of psychology and psychiatry. Dr. Edens is a recent recipient of the Theodore Millon Award in Personality Psychology (2015), jointly awarded by the Society of Clinical Psychology and the American Psychological Foundation, and also a former recipient of the Saleem Shah Award for Early Career Contributions to Law and Psychology (2001), jointly awarded by the American Psychology-Law Society and the American Academy of Forensic Psychology. He is a Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science and a Fellow of the American Psychological Association (Division 41). Dr. Edens currently serves as an Associate Editor for Psychological Assessment and is a former Associate Editor for both the Journal of Personality Assessment and Assessment. He is a Consulting Editor for numerous other psychology-law journals, including Law and Human Behavior and Behavioral Sciences and the Law. He is also a licensed psychologist (Texas) and consults extensively on legal cases, primarily focusing on state and federal capital punishment trials. Over the years he has collaborated with several state agencies on the utility of various offender intervention and assessment programs and procedures.

View More Programs from this Presenter
John F. Edens, PhD

Training Outline

Key topics covered in this training include:

  • Overview: Participants will learn an overview of the basic design and structure of the PAI
    Forensic Populations
    Pre-Adjudication
    Post-Adjudication

  • Use and Interpretation: Participants engage in discussion about cases and interpretation practice
    Response style
    Mental disorder
    Institutional Adjustment
    Treatment outcome

  • Case Examples: Participants learn about how the admissibility of expert testimony based on the PAI is addressed, and case examples are reviewed
    Self-Report Assessment
    Forensic Evaluation
    Limitations

Earning a Certificate

This is a badge-earning program, which means it will help you earn a certificate that can be showcased on digital platforms like LinkedIn.
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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.