The three forensic assessment instruments include Millon Clinical Multiaxial inventory, fourth edition (MCMI-IV), the Minnesota Multiphasic personality inventory second edition (MMPI-2), and the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool-Criminal Adjudication (MacCat-CA) (Rogers, Tazi, & Drogin, 2023, p. 9). The MCMI-IV is an appropriate assessment instrument because it is used to assess, diagnose, and provide treatment for individuals that were diagnosed with personality disorders (Roles and practices of the forensic psychology professional, 2023). This instrument can be used to identify personality disorders and other mental health disorders. According to the video, Arias was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD) with inappropriate intense anger (PK Report, 2013, 2:04). The professional could have used this assessment to assess Arias and diagnose her with BPD. The MMPI-2 is used to diagnose BPD by provided 338 true/false statements (Anderson, Burchett, Glassmire, Wygant, Kamphuis, Smid, & Sellbom, 2022). This assessment is appropriate for assessing Arias because it can be used to determine if she has BPD. It is also used to diagnose antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) (Anderson, Burchett, Glassmire, Wygant, Kamphuis, Smid, & Sellbom, 2022). The assessment can help the professional determine if a client is showing the criteria of ASPD or BPD. In Arias case, the professional could have used MMPI-2 to diagnose her with BPD. The MacCat-CA is used to determine the competency of a criminal standing trial (Rogers, Tazi, & Drogin, 2023, p. 9). This assessment is appropriate for assessing Arias because it can determine if she should stand trial. The professional can use this assessment to make sure that Arias stands on trial if she is deemed competent to stand trial. The assessments can use reliability, validity and normative sample populations to diagnose, assess, and treat someone with personality disorders and determine their competency for standing trial. For example, the results have to be reliable, accurate, and free of random errors. The assessments can use reliability by understanding that the assessment instruments should use consistent methods or tools (FZE, 2024). The assessment can use validity by understanding that the assessment instrument is estimated to test a certain way or measure (FZE, 2024). Norming sample populations is used by testing a group of people for the assessment instrument (FZE, 2024). It is important to have an understanding of assessment instruments in my present and future forensic role because it can help me assess, diagnose, and treat my clients. An understanding can also help evaluate if the suspect or client should stand on trial.
Rogers, R., Tazi, K. Y., & Drogin, E. Y. (2023). Forensic assessment instruments: Their reliability and applicability to criminal forensic issues. Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 41(5), 415–431. https://doi.org/10.1002/bsl.2613Links to an external site.
PK Report. (2013, April 18).