1 Hour / 1 CE

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on Suggestibility and Confabulation: An Advanced Overview with Implications for Forensic Mental Health and Legal Professionals is presented by Jerrod Brown, PhD.

Two distinct distortions are suggestibility and confabulation. Suggestibility is defined as the acceptance of inaccurate information from an external source as truth, which is subsequently integrated into memory. In contrast, confabulation is the generation of new memory to fill an existing gap in memory. Both types of memory distortions can be minor or major in magnitude and caused by individual-level (e.g., cognitive deficits) and environmental-level (e.g., intimidating situations) characteristics. In particular, forensic and legal settings are beset by conditions like repeated and leading questions and tense situations that increase the risk of memory distortions. This program is designed to increase awareness of suggestibility and confabulation among professionals working in forensic and legal settings. Topics covered include defining and distinguishing suggestibility and confabulation, reviewing the etiology of these distortions, and discussing the consequences of suggestibility and confabulation in criminal justice, forensic mental health, and legal settings.

Learning Objectives

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

  • 1 Describe the ramifications of suggestibility and confabulation in forensic and legal settings
  • 2 Describe individual-level risk factors (e.g., cognitive and personality) for suggestibility and confabulation
  • 3 Describe best practices for minimizing the risk of suggestibility and confabulation

  • Intended Audience

    This training provides a comprehensive overview of suggestibility and confabulation within forensic and legal contexts. It is designed for mental health and legal professionals seeking to deepen their understanding of memory distortions and their impact on forensic evaluations, legal proceedings, and clinical practice. The program covers foundational to advanced concepts, equipping participants to evaluate, manage, and mitigate issues related to suggestibility and confabulation in a variety of professional settings.

  • Experience Level

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

  • Practice Setting

    • Forensic psychologists

    • Clinical psychologists

    • Neuropsychologists

    • Psychiatrists

    • Attorneys and legal professionals

    • Social workers and social service professionals

    • Correctional and criminal justice professionals

    • Health care providers working in forensic or legal contexts

    • Educators and professionals in educational settings involved in forensic mental health

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:

  • Review suggestibility in forensic and legal settings

  • Distinguish suggestibility and confabulation

  • Consequences of suggestibility and confabulation

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.