Course Details

Course TitleAAFP: Cultural Considerations in Forensic Psychology
Date Varies
ProviderCONCEPT Continuing & Professional Studies (Palo Alto University)
Phone(650) 434-2381
Emailcaps@paloaltou.edu
Website https://concept.paloaltou.edu/course-4/AAFP-Cultural-Considerations-in-Forensic-Psychology
LocationPalo Alto
Credit Hours2
Instructor(s)Michelle R. Guyton, PhD, ABPP
Method of InstructionOnline (Asynchronous/Self-paced)
Approving AgencyAPA
Course Syllabus

Course Description

***This course is approved for 2 POST CPE credit hours.***This on-demand professional training program on Cultural Considerations in Forensic Psychology is presented by Michelle Guyton, PhD, ABPP, in partnership with the American Academy of Forensic Psychology (AAFP). This program reviews the impact of culture, ethnicity, and language on interviewing, assessment, and diagnosis in the forensic context. Cognitive psychology, as it relates to implicit bias and decision-making, is also discussed. This program focuses on understanding this literature, how it relates to forensic practice, and expanding skills for conducting forensic mental health evaluations with culturally and linguistically diverse individuals. Topics described include cultural expressions of psychopathology, interviewing strategies, working with interpreters, and ethical considerations.

Course Objectives

  • Describe patterns of overrepresentation within the criminal justice system for individuals from non-dominant cultures
  • Describe how models of cognitive processing link to implicit bias
  • Describe cultural expressions of psychopathology
  • Describe professional resources that can facilitate understanding of an examinee’s culture and heritage
  • Describe strategies for working effectively with language interpreters
  • Describe how to consider culture and at what stage of the legal process based on referral question
  • Describe and respond to ethical conflicts that arise when psychologists evaluate people from cultures and backgrounds different from their own
  • Describe and use APA guidelines to assist when evaluating culturally and linguistically diverse individuals