The Diagnostic Frame in National Security Evaluations

Area of Science:

• Forensic psychology
• Security risk assessment
• Clinical psychology

Background:

• Traditional clinical diagnosis (e.g., DSM-5, ICD-10) focuses on labeling mental conditions.
• This 'molar' diagnostic approach may be insufficient and increase risk in institutional security evaluations.
• Evaluations for institutional security differ fundamentally from clinical assessments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the necessity of a distinct diagnostic conceptualization for security risk assessments.
• To differentiate the goals and methods of security-focused psychological evaluations from clinical ones.
• To underscore the potential failure in assessing national security risks if differences are not appreciated.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual analysis of diagnostic processes in clinical versus security contexts.
• Examination of how the purpose of evaluation (patient benefit vs. agency risk) alters diagnostic expectations.
• Identification of key differences in evaluating psychological tendencies for national security.

Main Results:

• Security risk evaluations require a diagnostic process focused on understanding behavior relevant to agency concerns, not just labeling conditions.
• The purpose of the evaluation (agency security vs. patient welfare) fundamentally changes the diagnostic task.
• Failure to adapt diagnostic approaches can lead to inadequate risk assessment, potentially compromising national security.

Conclusions:

• A specialized 'diagnostic' approach is essential for evaluating psychological risks to institutional security.
• Clinicians must recognize that security evaluations serve the agency's needs, not the individual's.
• Appreciating these distinctions is critical for accurately assessing psychological factors impacting national security.