Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 18, 2026

Holistic Facial Composite Creation and Subsequent Video Line-up Eyewitness Identification Paradigm
Published on: December 24, 2015
Attorneys' Attitudes Toward Coaching Forensic Clients on the MMPI-2: Replication and Extension of Attorney Survey by
Paul M Spengler1, Nathan T Walters1, Eric Bryan1,2
1Department of Counseling Psychology, Social Psychology, and Counseling, Ball State University.
Abstract:
In this study we replicated and extended Wetter and Corrigan's (1995) commonly cited convenience survey of attorneys and law students regarding their attitudes toward coaching litigants prior to forensic psychological testing. We conducted a target survey of attorneys practicing in specialty areas of law where it is common to enlist psychological testing as part of legal proceedings (family law, juvenile law, personal injury, criminal law, social security/disability, workman's compensation). The estimated prevalence of attorneys who endorse providing their clients with information about the presence of MMPI-2 validity scales is 53%, with a 95% confidence interval of ±7%. Compared with Wetter and Corrigan's results of 63%, this represents a slightly lower estimate of attorneys who indicate a positive attitude toward coaching their clients on the presence and purpose of validity scales. More than 70% of attorneys, in both surveys, believe they should provide general advice and preparation for psychological testing to their clients. Survey results were further analyzed as a function of attorney age, years in practice, and specialty area. Implications are discussed in relation to future research and the practice of forensic psychological evaluations.
Related Concept Videos
Eyewitness Memory
One such error is memory distortion, which occurs because human memory does not function like a...
Self-Report Tests of Personality
Elements Crucial for Effective Psychotherapy
The Therapeutic Alliance
The therapeutic alliance refers to the relationship between the therapist and the client. The alliance strengthens when the therapist and the client engage in a nurturing, supportive, trusting, empathetic, and respectful relationship, improving therapeutic outcomes. Therapists must monitor this relationship...
Theory of Attribution I: Correspondent Inference Theory
Theory of Attribution II: Kelley's Covariation Theory
Correspondence Bias

