For many cases and clients, there is a need for clinical, therapeutic, and forensic assessments. Clinical psychology roles can overlap with forensic assessments. For example, a clinical diagnosis of a mental health disorder or a clinical evaluation for intellectual disability may be as relevant to a case as the findings of a forensic assessment to answer the legal question. Furthermore, evaluating a client such as a victim or offender for treatment and rehabilitation needs would require a therapeutic assessment process. Therefore, it is paramount to understand the differences in these assessment approaches.
In this discussion, please read the scenario below:
Rachel is a victim of sex trafficking and has recently been charged with murder. Rachel is a Somali refugee, who suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), depression, and anxiety. The individual Rachel is accused of murdering was a missionary, whom Rachel believed was sent to kill her, not help her settle into a new life of asylum in the United States.
After completing the readings for this week and the scenario, please answer the following:
*What is the difference between clinical, therapeutic, and forensic assessment?
*Compare and contrast these differences in how they would be used in Rachel’s case demonstrating how each would apply.
*What information and topics would be important to address during the assessment process, and why?
The following following sources can be referenced:
Constanzo, M., & Krauss, D. (2021). Forensic and legal psychology: Psychological science applied to law (4th ed.). Worth Publishers.
Chapter 7 “Child Sexual Abuse: Interviewing Children and Assessing the Recovered Memories of Adults”
Chapter 15 “Predicting Violent Behavior: The Psychology of Risk Assessment”
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