Module 1 Assignment 2

Specialized Interviewing Techniques

Up to this point, we have discussed interviews and interrogations as being very distinct processes. However, there are specialized interviews in which a forensic psychology professional or a law enforcement officer may wish to obtain information from someone who may not be completely forthcoming. For example, a forensic psychology professional may wish to inquire about substance use or inappropriate sexual behavior or conduct a preemployment evaluation to inquire about prior criminal behavior that could eliminate the applicant from the position being considered.

Various techniques can be used to help facilitate an open response. For example, forensic psychology professionals have developed various assessment instruments to detect the possibility of malingering. A good example of this type of situation is the Miller Forensic Assessment of Symptoms Test (M-FAST), which is a structured interview used to assess the possibility of malingering psychiatric symptoms. This is an exception in which the forensic psychology professional does not provide full disclosure. It would not be helpful to suggest that the interview is an assessment to determine if the person is faking and that some of the symptoms suggested in the interview are implausible and would indicate malingering as this would defeat the value of the interview. Another example is Rey's fifteen-item memory test, which is often presented as a test of memory when it is, in fact, used to detect malingering.