Forensic evaluators’ opinions on the use of videoconferencing technology for competency to stand trial evaluations after the onset of COVID-19.

We surveyed practicing forensic psychologists (N = 176) in the United States after the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic to obtain their opinions about using videoconferencing for competence to stand trial evaluations. The survey included a broad range of questions to identify perceived concerns about, and benefits of, videoconferencing. Many of the evaluators who reported having conducted a competence evaluation using videoconferencing had done so only after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic (79.7%). Evaluators expressed concerns that the results of videoconferencing evaluations were slightly less reliable (M = 73.6% agreement) than in-person evaluations (M = 79.2%, d = .57 [.43, .70]), but agreed that videoconferencing has the potential to make the evaluation process more efficient for evaluators (77.2%) and to reduce evaluation wait times for defendants (83.8%). The most common concerns were about the ability to assess general mental health symptoms (42.7%) and feigning (68.1%), as opposed to specific psycholegal abilities (10% to 30%). Overall, those who had used videoconferencing for a competence evaluation or had received training related to videoconferencing were less likely to endorse concerns about its use. Findings represent a first step in providing data to inform ongoing discussions about professional standards for using videoconferencing for competence evaluations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved)
Source: Psychology, Public Policy, and Law - Category: Medical Law Source Type: research