APA Specialty Guidelines for Forensic Psychology (2013)
Definition
The eleven-section APA document setting professional and ethical standards for forensic psychological practice in the US, covering responsibilities, competence, diligence, relationships, fees, informed consent, privacy, methods, communication, and testimony.
- Published by
- American Psychological Association
- Year
- 2013
- Structure
- Eleven sections
- Topics
- Responsibilities, competence, diligence, relationships, fees, consent, privacy, methods, communication, testimony
Common questions
Why does the document devote a separate section to fees and diligence alongside ethics topics like consent?+
Forensic evaluations often involve third-party payers, litigation deadlines, and incentives that do not arise in ordinary clinical practice, so the guidelines address practical issues such as billing arrangements and timely diligence as part of maintaining professional integrity, alongside classic confidentiality concerns.
How does this document treat informed consent differently from clinical practice?+
Because a forensic evaluee is frequently not the evaluator's client and the evaluation may be court-ordered, the guidelines require the psychologist to clarify who the client is, the limits of confidentiality, and how results will be used, before proceeding, rather than assuming standard therapeutic consent applies.
Related terms
- BPS Division of Forensic Psychology Practice Guidelines 2017
- The UK professional standards document for Chartered Forensic Psychologists, structured around six competency domains: knowledge/skills/values, assessment, formulation, intervention, evaluation, and communication.
- Contingency Fee Prohibition
- The APA Specialty Guidelines Section 5 prohibition on forensic psychologists accepting fees contingent on the outcome of proceedings, because such arrangements create...
- Cross-Cultural Competence
- The requirement under APA and BPS DFP guidelines that forensic psychologists be aware of cultural and linguistic factors affecting assessment validity, and...
- HCPC
- Health and Care Professions Council; the UK statutory regulator that holds the protected title 'Forensic Psychologist' under the Health Professions Order 2001...
- Mental Healthcare Act 2017
- Indian legislation governing mental health services and the rights of persons with mental illness; Section 23 protects confidentiality of mental health information...
- Pre-Assessment Notification
- The APA Specialty Guidelines Section 6 requirement to inform the person being assessed, before evaluation begins, of the purpose, the requesting party,...
- Rehabilitation Council of India
- Indian statutory body regulating clinical psychology (and related professions); requires M.Phil. (Clinical Psychology) as the minimum registration qualification; no distinct forensic psychology...
- Smith V. Jones (1999)
- Canadian Supreme Court decision establishing that solicitor-client privilege and professional confidentiality can be overridden where there is a serious, clear, and imminent...
- Tarasoff V. Regents of the University of California (1976)
- California Supreme Court decision establishing a psychotherapist's duty to protect identifiable third parties from a patient's communicated serious threats of violence; adopted...
- W V. Edgell (1990)
- England and Wales Court of Appeal decision permitting a psychiatrist to disclose a confined patient's dangerous propensities to the Home Secretary where...