Defending the Rorschach in Court: An Analysis of Admissibility Using Legal and Professional Standards

Abstract

There are a number of legal and professional standards that guide admissibility of expert testimony and psychometric evidence. The most important legal tests for admissibility include the Federal Rules of Evidence (1992), the Frye test (United States v. Frye, 1923), and the Daubert standard (Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 1993). Within the profession, Heilbrun (1992) and Marlowe (1995) have outlined criteria for the selection of psychological tests in forensic settings. Using these legal and professional standards, the Rorschach is analyzed according to individual criteria Although several issues require additional research, it is concluded that the status of the Rorschach Inkblot Method is such that it satisfies legal tests of admissibility and professional criteria that have been suggested. In those cases where the Rorschach is apt to be deemed inadmissible, it is likely due to how data from the instrument are utilized, rather than characteristics of the instrument itself.