
Although test manuals and professional guidelines universally specify that forensic assessments should take place in quiet, private, and distraction-free environments, such absences of distractions are rare in jail and prison settings. In this article, four aspects of this problem are examined. First, compelling examples of noise and distractions are described to give a sense of the nature of the problem. Second, the portions of guidelines from the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law and the American Psychological Association regarding distractions are presented, along with associated excerpts from test manuals and books. Third, related research findings about the effects of distractions are explored. Finally, overall perspectives of the problem are presented, with special attention given to methods of reporting and managing distractions, examinee habituation, examiner distraction, and ways of conceptualizing evaluation tasks in high-distraction environments.
Psychological Tests, Prisons, Interview, Psychological, Humans, Guidelines as Topic, Forensic Psychiatry, Noise, Forensic Psychology
Psychological Tests, Prisons, Interview, Psychological, Humans, Guidelines as Topic, Forensic Psychiatry, Noise, Forensic Psychology
| selected citations These citations are derived from selected sources. This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | 0 | |
| popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network. | Average | |
| influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | Average | |
| impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Average |
