Causality of Psychological Injury: Presenting Evidence in Court (Hardcover)

by Gerald Young (Author), Andrew W. Kane (Author), Keith Nicholson (Author), D.W. Shuman (Contributor)
Key Phrases: factitious disorder, complex adaptive systems, somatoform disorders, New York, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Springer Science (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
From the reviews:

"Causality of Psychological Injury: Presenting Evidence in Court is an edited volume with chapters that are not only informative but also well written. The references that I sampled are relevant, useful, and probably as current as any could be in a nonelectronic book a ] . surely heightens its educational value to clinical and forensic practitioners and should shape corresponding professional thinking and praxis." (Richard W. Bloom, PsycCritiques, Vol. 52 (37), 2007)

"I was delighted to find a concise summary of why third party observers should not be allowed during the course of a forensic neuropsychological examination, touching on such seminal issues as proper test administration, norms, ethical issues as well as legal precedents prohibiting this practice. The summary was so well done. a ] This information was also quite helpful in formulating the expert affidavit a ] . I found this volume to be responsive to some very different dilemmas I encountered in my civil practice." (Jerid M. Fisher, Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, December, 2007)

Product Description
This sequel to the authors’ Psychological Knowledge in Court offers a welcome expansion on key concepts, terms, and issues in causality, bringing much needed clarity to psychological injury assessments and the legal contexts that employ them. Focusing on PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and chronic pain (and grounding readers in salient U.S. and Canadian case law), Causality sets out a multifactorial causality framework to facilitate admissibility of psychological evidence in court. Issues concerning malingering are examined in depth, as are clinical gray areas that can jeopardize validity. At the same time, the book clearly explains what lawyers and clinicians need to understand about each other’s work—of crucial importance since the two sides often seem to speak at cross-purposes. The authors and six guest contributorsIllustrate the roles of preexisting vulnerabilities, traumatic events, and post-event occurrences in psychological impairment and disabilityReview the literature on PTSD, TBI, and chronic pain for legal relevanceIdentify current challenges and controversies in the field, as well as emerging areas for researchRecommend methods and instruments for conducting more courtworthy assessmentsProvide a detailed critical review of malingering and related phenomenaPropose a more accurate, shared terminology of causality Valid causality judgments are based on sound knowledge of research on large populations and careful testing of individuals; at the same time they must conform to stringent legal standards of relevance and reliability to be accepted for testimony. Forensic practitioners and attorneys will turn to Causality of Psychological Injury as their professional paths increasingly cross in seeking comprehensive and state of the art information.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 648 pages
• Publisher: Springer; 1 edition (February 9, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0387364358
• ISBN-13: 978-0387364353
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,007,633 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent resource for psychologists, March 20, 2008

By	Eric G. Mart (Manchester, NH United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Causality of Psychological Injury: Presenting Evidence in Court is a well written and extremely useful contribution to the professional literature dealing with the forensic assessment of trauma. It provides a solid background on the legal context of such assessments and also thoroughly covers specific areas such as testing, assessment of malingering, and evaluation of traumatic brain injury. The approach to the relationship between trauma and subsequent symptoms is dynamic and brings a depth to this topic that has not been seen before. This book will be of great benefit to mental health professionals working in this area of practice, and to attorneys who need to understand and critically review mental health reports in litigation.