Psych Testing 101: A Lawyer's Guide to Psychological Reports

In a criminal case, testing may be requested to determine competence to stand trial, to shed light on whether intent existed, and to prepare for sentencing. Psychologist Linda Liefland gives lawyers a better idea of how to understand the psychologist’s report, which integrates both test and nontest data from multiple sources. A lawyer who is familiar with cognitive and personality tests, the role of history in assessment, and the issues in testing (e.g., validity, malingering) will be able to better make use of a psychologist’s report on behalf of a client.