RUNNING HEAD: TRANSFORMATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY AND REDUCING BIAS Using Transformational Psychology to reduce bias and maintain the ethical practice of forensic mental health evaluations 2018 Christian Association for Psychological Studies International Conference. Norfolk, VA Thomas Knudsen, Psy.D., ABPP Rubenzahl, Knudsen & Associates Psychological Services, PC. Watertown, NY State University of New York, Jefferson Authors Note: Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Thomas Knudsen, Psy.D., ABPP, Rubenzahl, Knudsen & Associates Psychological Services, PC, 22670 Summit Drive Watertown, NY 13601 Contact:
[email protected] TRANSFORMATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY AND REDUCING BIAS 2 Abstract: Forensic mental health clinicians offer criminal and family court valuable insight for making legal decisions. However, there is evidence that bias exists in the clinician’s opinion due to a myriad of issues. Clinicians are often unaware of their bias due to the phenomenon called the “bias blind spot.” Promoting ethical forensic psychological practice requires the clinician to do what is necessary to reduce bias. The “Transformational Psychological View” proposed by Coe and Hall (2010) can provide a framework for the Christian mental health clinician to aid in the reduction of the bias blind spot. The “Transformational Psychology View” suggests that the practice of psychology begins as an act of love. This concept interfaces well with the practice of psychotherapy, but performing forensic evaluations poses new challenges to acting in love towards your patient. How do we love those that are deplorable in our site and have hurt others who are innocent? Do we act with love towards the patient or the victims of the patient’s crimes or abuses? How can we use compassion to minimize bias due to the clinician’s reactivity from a sense of justice, morality, or faith? This paper proposes that doing the forensic evaluation as an act of love will reduce bias.