Toward generally accepted forensic assessment practices among clinical neuropsychologists: a survey of professional practice and common test use^*

* An earlier version of this paper was presented at the 2016 National Academy of Neuropsychology Conference in Seattle, WA.

Abstract

Objective: This study investigated professional practice and common test use among clinical neuropsychologists engaging in forensic assessment. Method: Doctorate-level psychologists active in the practice of neuropsychology and on the INS and NAN membership listings (n = 502) were surveyed about their demographics, professional practice, and common test use. Participants who reported engaging in forensic practice (n = 255) were further surveyed about their forensic practice. Results: Forensic participants were more likely to be male and Caucasian, and reported higher ages, more years of professional experience, and a higher prevalence of board certification. While characteristics of their professional and forensic practice varied, forensic participants reported spending most of their professional time conducting neuropsychological assessments with adult clients in a private or group practice setting, focusing on civil referrals and civil legal questions involving older adult issues, developmental issues, head injury, and psychiatric issues. Common test use across neuropsychological assessment domains is presented for board-certified forensic participants (n = 77). An examination of these results reveals that the current pattern of test use is similar to the results of a more general survey of neuropsychological test use. Conclusions: The findings provide insight into the practice of forensic neuropsychological assessment, and further establish the admissibility of neuropsychological evidence in the United States legal system. Results will be useful for clinical neuropsychologists, field leaders, and legal professionals hoping to gain insight into the role of clinical neuropsychology in civil and criminal legal decision-making.

Keywords:

• Neuropsychological assessment
• forensic assessment
• test use
• practice
• admissibility

Notes

* An earlier version of this paper was presented at the 2016 National Academy of Neuropsychology Conference in Seattle, WA.