Feedback in Forensic Mental Health Assessment: A Preliminary Review of Ethics, Research, and Practice

Abstract

ABSTRACTUnlike assessments in other fields of psychology, forensic mental health assessment (FMHA) does not emphasize feedback. The Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct, Specialty Guidelines for Forensic Psychology, and foundational FMHA texts provide little guidance regarding whether and what type of feedback can be provided to forensic evaluees. Mirroring the trend in academic discourse, little empirical research exists on feedback in forensic contexts. This paper reviews ethical standards, practice guidelines, and foundational FMHA texts pertaining to feedback in forensic settings. Due to ambiguous guidance from these sources, we also present results from a survey of forensic mental health professionals about feedback practices and beliefs about the ethical parameters surrounding feedback in forensic settings. Results from the survey suggest that, although evaluees request feedback a moderate amount of time, there is no consensus among mental health professionals regarding the ethical parameters surrounding feedback or how to respond to evaluees’ requests for feedback during FHMA. We conclude by offering suggestions for forensic mental health professionals and identifying areas for future research.