Cross Examining Experts in the Behavioral Sciences

CHAPTER ONE     MENTAL HEALTH EXPERTS: SCIENCE AND THE LAW

• Mental Health Professionals as Expert Witnesses
• Types of Mental Health Experts
• The Gap between Science and Practice
• The Move Toward "Validity" and "Reliability" in the Courts
• Dealing with Mental Health Experts
• Voir Dire Questions Regarding Scientific Methodology
• Voir Dire Questions Regarding Peer Reviewed Journals
• Evidentiary Rules and Motion Practice
• Daubert Hearings
• The Importance of Voir Dire
• The Interplay Between FRE Rules 401 - 403 - 702 - and - 703
• Three Kinds of "Fit" in Expert Evidence
• Evidentiary Reliability and Validity
• Shielding the Jury from Prejudicial "Junk Science"
• The Problem of Creeping Hearsay.

• Overview
• Treating Therapist v. Expert Witness
• Treating Therapist v. Expert Witness—Therapeutic Alliance v. Objectivity
• Treating Therapist v. Expert Witness—Dual Relationships and Ethical Obligations
• Treating Therapist v. Expert Witness—Cross-Examination
• Challenging Post-graduate Education—Psychologists
• Challenging Post-graduate Education—Cross-Examining the Graduate Education of Psychologists
• Challenging Post-graduate Education—The Medical Education of Psychiatrists
• Challenging Post-graduate Education—Cross-Examining the Medical Education of Psychiatrists
• Challenging Post-graduate Education—The Graduate Education of Other Mental Professionals
• Challenging Post-graduate Education—Cross-Examining The Graduate Education of Other Mental Health Professionals
• Challenging Licensure, Continuing Education, and Board Certification—Psychologists.
• Challenging Licensure, Continuing Education, and Board Certification—Cross-Examining Psychologists
• Challenging Licensure, Continuing Education, and Board Certification—Psychiatrists
• Challenging Licensure, Continuing Education, and Board Certification— Cross-Examining Psychiatrists
• Challenging Licensure, Continuing Education, and Board Certification—Social Workers, Professional Counselors and Marriage and Family Therapists.

• Overview
• Overlooking Normalcy—Research
• Overlooking Normalcy—Cross-Examining the Disregard of Normalcy
• Preconceived Expectations—Research
• Preconceived Expectations—Cross-examination
• Ruling In v. Ruling Out—Research
• Ruling In v. Ruling Out-Cross-examination
• Selective Recall of Mental Health Professionals—Research
• Selective Recall of Mental Health Professionals—Cross-Examination
• Anchoring Biases of Mental Health Professionals—Research
• Anchoring Biases—Cross-Examination
• Attribution Bias—Research
• Attribution Bias—Cross-Examination
• Clinical Judgment and Inter-rater Reliability—Research
• Cross-Examination Related to Judgmental Consistency
• Clinical Judgment v. Actuarial Procedures—Research
• Clinical Judgment v. Actuarial Procedures—Cross-Examination

• Claims of Professional Experience—Unavailability of Feedback
• Claims of Professional Experience—Cross-Examining Unavailability of Feedback
• The Professional Experience of Psychologists—Research
• Professional Experience of Psychologists—Cross-Examination Questions
• The Professional Experience of Psychiatrists—Research
• The Professional Experience of Psychiatrists— Cross-Examination
• Claims of Expertise as a Treating Therapist-Research
• Claimsof Expertise as a Treating Therapist—Cross-Examination Questions
• Excessive Reliance on Personality Theory—Research
• Excessive Reliance on Personality Theory—Cross-Examination
• Freudian Theory
• Cross-Examining Freudian Theory
• Claims of Eclectics
• Claims of Eclectics—Cross-Examination

• Diagnostic Classification—Generally
• Perpetual Revisions of the DSM
• Cross-Examining the Perpetual Revisions of DSM Editions
• The "Improved" DSM-IV-
• Cross-Examining The "Improved" DSM-IV-
• A theoretical Definition of Mental Disorder
• Cross-Examining Atheoretical Definitions of Mental Disorder
• Forensic Use of DSM-IV-
• Cross-Examining the Forensic Use of DSM-IV-
• Diagnoses of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Cross-Examining Definition of Stressful Event
• Malingering and PTSD
• Cross-Examination Regarding Malingering and PTSD
• Unreliability of PTSD
• Cross-Examining the Unreliability of PTSD
• Prevalence and Treatment of PTSD
• Cross-Examining the Prevalence and Treatment of PTSD
• Diagnoses of Personality Disorders
• Cross-Examining the Reliability of Personality Disorder Diagnoses
• Diagnosis of Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD)
• Cross-Examining the Reliability of Antisocial Personality Disorder Diagnoses
• Assumed Chronicity of Antisocial Personality Disorder
• Cross-Examining the Assumed Chronicity of Antisocial Personality Disorder
• ASPD and the Psychopathy Checklist*mdash;Revised (PCL?R)
• Cross-Examining Use of the PCL-R.
• Overview of DSM-IV- for Psychologists
• Cross-Examining Psychologists Regarding DSM-IV-

• Objective Tests-Generally
• Cross-Examining Non-Psychologists Regarding Psychological Testing.
• Psychological Testing and Relevant Ethical Codes
• Cross-Examining Non-Psychologists Regarding Psychological Testing
• Examiner Influences
• Cross-Examination Regarding Examiner Influences
• Ethical Considerations and Standards of Practice
• Cross-Examination Regarding Ethical Considerations and Standards of Practice
• Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2)
• Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2)—Necessity for Proper Monitoring
• Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2)—Cross-Examining Proper Monitoring of the MMPI-2
• Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2)—Validity Scales
• Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2)—Cross-Examination Regarding MMPI-2 Validity Scales
• Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2)—Critical Items
• Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2)— Cross-Examination Regarding Critical Items
• Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2)—Harris-Lingoes Content Scales
• Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2)—Cross-Examination Regarding Harris-Lingoes Content Scales
• Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2)—Norms for College Students
• Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2)—Norms for College Students
• Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2)—Assessment of Alcohol Problems
• Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2)—Cross-Examining the Assessment of Alcohol Problems
• Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2)—Subtle-Obvious Subscales
• Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2)—Cross-Examination of the Subtle-Obvious Scales
• Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2)—Computer Based Test Interpretations
• Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2)—Cross-Examining Computer Based Test Interpretations
• Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2)—Data as Hypotheses Necessitating Clarification
• Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2)—Cross-examining MMPI-2 Data as Hypotheses Necessitating Clarification
• Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI)
• Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI)-Cross Examination
• Wechsler Intelligence Scales
• Wechsler Intelligence Scales—Errors in Standardized Administration
• Wechsler Intelligence Scales—Cross-Examining Errors in Administration
• Wechsler Intelligence Scales—African-American Populations
• Wechsler Intelligence Scales—Cross-Examining the Wechsler for Black Males
• Wechsler Intelligence Scales—Attempts at Interpreting "Scatter"
• Wechsler Intelligence Scales —Cross-Examining Attempts at Interpreting Scatter

• Overview of Projective Techniques
• Subjectivity of Projective Techniques
• Cross-Examining the Subjective Nature of Projective Techniques
• The Rorschach Technique
• The Rorschach Technique—Cross Examining Multiple Scoring and Interpretive Systems
• The Rorschach Technique—Reliance on Psychoanalytic Theory
• The Rorschach Technique—Cross-Examining the Rorschach and Psychoanalytic Theory
• The Rorschach Technique—Supplementary Information
• The Rorschach Technique—Cross-Examining The Rorschach and Supplementary Information
• The Rorschach Technique—Exner's Rorschach System and Inter?Rater Reliability
• The Rorschach Technique—Cross-Examining Exner's Rorschach System and Inter-Rater Reliability
• The Rorschach Technique—Validity
• The Rorschach Technique —Exner's Depression Index
• The Rorschach Technique—Cross-Examining Exner's Depression Index
• The Rorschach Technique—Exner's Egocentricity Index and Issues of Peer?Review
• The Rorschach Technique —Cross-Examining Exner's Egocentricity Index and Issues of Peer-Review
• The Rorschach Technique—Assumptions Related to the Rorschach
• The Rorschach Technique —Cross-Examining Assumptions Related to the Rorschach
• The Rorschach Technique —Speculative Excesses of the Rorschach
• The Rorschach Technique—Cross-Examining the Speculative Excesses of the Rorschach
• The Rorschach Technique—Computerized Interpretation of the Rorschach
• The Rorschach Technique —Overview of the Rorschach
• The Rorschach Technique—Cross-Examining the Clinical Use of the Rorschach
• The Rorschach Technique—Admissibility of the Rorschach in Legal Proceedings
• The Rorschach Technique—Cross Examining Admissibility of the Rorschach in Legal Proceedings
• The Rorschach Technique—Cross Examining Admissibility of the Rorschach in Legal Proceedings and Malingering
• Projective Drawings
• Projective Drawings—Cross-Examining General Considerationsrethe DAP
• Projective Drawings—Popular Assumptionsrethe DAP
• Projective Drawings—Cross-Examining Popular Assumptionsrethe DAP
• Thematic Apperception Test
• Thematic Apperception Test—Cross-Examining the TAT
• Thematic Apperception Test—The TAT SCORS System
• Thematic Apperception Test—Cross Examining Regarding the SCORS System
• The Bender-Gestalt Test
• The Bender-Gestalt Test—Cross-Examining the Bender?Gestalt
• Conclusions regarding Projective Techniques

• Introduction
• Divorce and Changing Family Dynamics—Assessment Issues
• Cross-Examination Regarding Divorce and Changing Circumstances
• Child Custody Evaluations—Statutorily Defined Criteria
• Child Custody Evaluations—Cross-Examination Regarding Relevant Criteria
• Child Custody Evaluations—Statutorily Defined Criteria and Relevant Research
• Child Cusody Evaluations—Cross-Examination Regarding "Best Interest" Factors
• Psychological Testing in Child Custody Evaluations
• Psychological Testing in Child Custody Evaluations-Authoritative Opinions
• Psychological Testing in Child Custody Evaluations—Cross-Examination
• Psychological Testing in Child Custody Evaluations—Frequently Used Tests
• Psychological Testing in Child Custody Evaluations—Cross-Examining Frequently Used Tests
• Psychological Testing in Child Custody Evaluations—Custody Specific Tests
• Psychological Testing in Child Custody Evaluations—Cross-Examining the ASPECT
• Psychological Testing in Child Custody Evaluations—Bricklin Perceptual Scales (BPS)
• Psychological Testing in Child Custody Evaluations—Cross-Examining the Bricklin Perceptual Scales
• Psychological Testing in Child Custody Evaluations—Bricklin's Perception of Relationship Test (PORT)
• Psychological Testing in Child Custody Evaluations—Cross-Examining the Perception of Relationship Test (PORT)
• Psychotherapy with Children of Divorce
• Psychotherapy with Children of Divorce—Divorced Spouses and Parental Conflicts
• Psychotherapy with Children of Divorce—Cross-Examining Regarding Divorced Spouses and Parental Conflicts
• Psychotherapy with Children of Divorce —Psychotherapy and Triangulated Relationships
• Psychotherapy with Children of Divorce—Cross-Examination Regarding Psychotherapy and Triangulated Relationships
• Psychotherapy with Children of Divorce—Triangulated Relationships as Vicious Cycles
• Psychotherapy with Children of Divorce—Cross-Examination Regarding Triangulated Relationships as Vicious Cycles
• Psychotherapy with Children of Divorce—Effective Psychotherapy for Children of Divorce
• Psychotherapy with Children of Divorce—Cross-Examination Regarding Effective Psychotherapy for Children of Divorce

• Introduction
• Assessment of Violence Risk—Ethical and Practice Standards
• Assessment of Violence Risk—Cross-Examination Re: Ethical and Testing Standards
• Assessment of Violence Risk-APA Ethical Standard 2.02 (a).
• Assessment of Violence Risk—Cross-ExaminationreAPA Ethical Standard 2.02 (a)
• Assessment of Violence Risk-Testing Standard 1.1
• Assessment of Violence Risk—Cross-Examination Regarding Testing Standard 1.1
• Assessment of Violence Risk—The Sensitivity?Specificity Tradeoff Dilemma
• Assessment of Violence Risk—Cross-ExaminationreSensitivity?Specificity Tradeoff
• Assessment of Violence Risk—Testing Standard 2.10
• Assessment of Violence Risk—Cross-ExaminationreTesting Standard 2.10
• Assessment of Violence Risk —Testing Standard 6.1
• Assessment of Violence Risk—Cross-ExaminationreTesting Standard 6.1
• Assessment of Violence Risk-APA Ethical Standard 2.04 (a) and Testing Standard 7.9.
• Assessment of Violence Risk—Cross-ExaminationreAPA Ethical Standard 2.04 (a) and Testing Standard 7.9.
• Assessment of Violence Risk-APA Ethical Standard 2.05
• Assessment of Violence Risk—Cross-ExaminationreAPA Ethical Standard 2.05
• Generally used methods for risk assessment— Unaided Clinical Judgment (UCJ)
• Generally used methods for risk assessment—Cross-Examining Unaided Clinical Judgment (UCJ) for Assessing Violence Risk
• Generally used methods for risk assessment —Continued Reliance on Unaided Clinical Judgment (UCJ) in Clinical Practice
• Generally used methods for risk assessment—Cross-Examining Unaided Clinical Judgment (UCJ) in Clinical Practice
• Generally used methods for risk assessment—Sexual Predator Evaluations and Guided Clinical Risk Assessments
• Generally used methods for risk assessment—Guided Clinical Risk Assessments
• Generally used methods for risk assessment —General Considerations in Cross-Examining GCRAs
• Generally used methods for risk assessment —Additional IssuesreGuided Clinical Risk Assessment
• Generally used methods for risk assessment —Additional Cross-ExaminationreGuided Clinical Risk Assessments
• Generally used methods for risk assessment—Sexual Violence Risk-20 (SVR-20)
• Generally used methods for risk assessment —Cross-Examining the SVR-20
• Predicting Violence for Mentally Ill Patients
• Predicting Violence for Mentally Ill Patients—Overview of The Relevant Research
• Predicting Violence for Mentally Ill Patients—Cross-Examination
• Actuarial Procedures
• Actuarial Procedures —HCR-20
• Actuarial Procedures—Cross-Examining the HCR-20
• Actuarial Procedures—Rapid Risk Assessment for Sexual Offender Recidivism (RRASOR)
• Actuarial Procedures—Cross-Examining the RRASOR
• Actuarial Procedures— Minnesota Sex Offender Screening Tool (MnSOST)
• Actuarial Procedures—Cross-Examining the MnSOST-R
• 9:39 Actuarial Procedures—Sexual Offender Risk Appraisal Guide (SORAG).
• 9:40 Actuarial Procedures—Cross-Examining the SORAG

• Informed Consent: Ethical Obligations
• "Informed Consent:" A Psycho - Legal Concept
• Cross-ExaminingreEthical Obligations and Informed Consent
• Appropriate Treatment Planning
• Appropriate Treatment Planning-Cross-Examination
• Appropriate Treatment Planning-The "Why Now?" Question
• Appropriate Treatment Planning—Cross-Examinationrethe "Why Now" Question
• Social Support
• Social Support-Cross-Examination Questions
• Expressed Emotion
• Expressed Emotion—Cross-Examination Questions
• Counterproductive Treatment Practices—Blame-and-Change Maneuvers
• Counterproductive Treatment Practices—Cross-Examining Blame-and-Change Maneuvers
• Counterproductive Treatment Practices—Victims, Villains, and Saviors.
• Counterproductive Treatment Practices—Cross-ExaminingreVictims, Villains, and Saviors.
• Counterproductive Treatment Practices—Strengths v. Deficits.
• Counterproductive Treatment Practices—Cross-ExaminationreStrengths v. Deficits.
• Counterproductive Treatment Practices—Long Term Therapy or The "Clinician's Illusion"
• Counterproductive Treatment Practices—Cross-Examining Long Term Therapy or The "Clinician's Illusion"
• Counterproductive Treatment Practices—Analytic Theory
• Counterproductive Treatment Practices—Cross-Examining Analytic Theory
• Claims of Client Satisfaction
• Claims of Client Satisfaction-Cross-Examination Questions
• Therapist Claims of Treatment Effectiveness
• Therapist Claims of Treatment Effectiveness—Cross-Examination Questions
• Suicide: Informed Consent, Assessment, and Treatment Planning
• Malpractice and Mental Health Professionals
• Suicide and Mental Health Professional Malpractice
• Suicide and Mental Health Professional Malpractice—Assessing Suicide Risk
• Suicide and Mental Health Professional Malpractice—Cross-Examining Assessment of Suicidal Risk
• Suicide and Mental Health Professional Malpractice—Stressful Life Events and Other Risk Factors
• Suicide and Mental Health Professional Malpractice—Cross-Examining Stressful Life Events and Other Risk Factors
• Suicide and Mental Health Professional Malpractice—Hospitalization
• Suicide and Mental Health Professional Malpractice—Cross-Examining Issues Regarding Hospitalization
• Suicide and Mental Health Professional Malpractice—Help Negation
• Suicide and Mental Health Professional Malpractice—Cross-Examination Regarding Help Negation
• Psychotherapy for Children and Adolescents
• Psychotherapy for Children and Adolescents—Cross-Examining Research Treatment v. Community Treatment
• Psychotherapy for Children and Adolescents—Ineffectiveness of Community Treatment for Children
• Psychotherapy for Children and Adolescents—Cross-Examining the Ineffectiveness of Community Treatment for Children
• Psychotherapy for Children and Adolescents—Play Therapy for Children
• Psychotherapy for Children and Adolescents—Cross-Examining Play Therapy for Children
• Psychotherapy for Children and Adolescents—Conduct Disordered Children and Adolescents
• Psychotherapy for Children and Adolescents—Cross-Examining Psychotherapy with Conduct
• Disordered Children and Adolescents
• Psychotherapy Influenced Allegations of Sexual Harassment: The PIASH Effect
• Psychotherapy Influenced Allegations of Sexual Harassment—Claims of Sexual Harassment and Ambiguity
• Psychotherapy Influenced Allegations of Sexual Harassment — Cross-Examining Claims of Sexual Harassment and Ambiguity
• Psychotherapy Influenced Allegations of Sexual Harassment—Narrative Truths and Historical Truths in Psychotherapy
• Psychotherapy Influenced Allegations of Sexual Harassment—Cross-Examining Narrative Truths and Historical Truths in Psychotherapy
• Psychotherapy Influenced Allegations of Sexual Harassment —Treatment Approaches for Plaintiffs
• Psychotherapy Influenced Allegations of Sexual Harassment—Cross-Examining Treatment Approaches for Plaintiffs
• Psychotherapy Influenced Allegations of Sexual Harassment—Confirmatory Bias and Sharpening and Leveling
• Psychotherapy Influenced Allegations of Sexual Harassment—Cross-Examining Confirmatory Bias and Sharpening and Leveling
• Psychotherapy Influenced Allegations of Sexual Harassment—Mood?Congruent Memory Effect
• Psychotherapy Influenced Allegations of Sexual Harassment—Cross-Examining the Mood-Congruent Memory Effect
• Psychotherapy Influenced Allegations of Sexual Harassment—Conjecture Regarding Why?
• Psychotherapy Influenced Allegations of Sexual Harassment—Cross Examining Conjecture Regarding Why?
• Psychotherapy Influenced Allegations of Sexual Harassment —Source Monitoring Errors
• Psychotherapy Influenced Allegations of Sexual Harassment— Cross-Examination Regarding Source Monitoring
• Psychotherapy Influenced Allegations of Sexual Harassment—Attribution Theory and The "Fundamental Attribution Error."
• Psychotherapy Influenced Allegations of Sexual Harassment—Cross-Examining Attribution Theory and The "Fundamental Attribution Error."
• Psychotherapy Influenced Allegations of Sexual Harassment—Category?Based Impression Formation and Stereotyping
• Psychotherapy Influenced Allegations of Sexual Harassment—Cross-Examining Category-Based Impression Formation and Stereotyping
• Psychotherapy Influenced Allegations of Sexual Harassment —Therapist Stereotyping and Ethical Considerations
• Psychotherapy Influenced Allegations of Sexual Harassment—Cross-Examination Regarding Therapist Stereotyping and Ethical Considerations
• Psychotherapy Influenced Allegations of Sexual Harassment — Treating Therapist v. Expert Witness
• Psychotherapy Influenced Allegations of Sexual Harassment — Summary

• Motion for Extended Voir Dire
• Memorandum in support of extended Voir Dire
• Motion to Conduct Daubert hearing
• Memorandum in support of motion for Daubert Hearing
• Motion in Limine to Exclude Evidence of Plaintiff's Expert
• Memorandum in support of motion in limine toexclude expert witness
• Motion to Conduct Taint Hearing
• Memorandum in Support of Motion to Conduct Taint Hearing
• Motion to Strike Plaintiff's Proposed Expert Witness
• Memorandum in Support of Motion to Strike Expert Witness

• Code of Ethics and Guidelines from major behavioral science groups such as the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, National Association of Social Workers, American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law.