Cultural and Linguistic Considerations in Forensic Mental Health Assessment

As English-speaking societies become increasingly diverse, clinical psychologists are often called upon to work with individuals from a wide range of ethnic, cultural, linguistic, and religious backgrounds. These intersecting identities shape an individual’s lived experience and can significantly impact the accuracy of psychological evaluations. It is therefore critical for clinicians to account for cultural differences, particularly in forensic mental health assessment, due to the disproportionate number of individuals from diverse backgrounds who come into contact with the legal system and the weighty consequences which can stem from forensic evaluation.

Cultural and Linguistic Considerations in Forensic Mental Health Assessment summarizes the emerging psychological research and legal and mental health practice guidelines surrounding work with diverse populations, particularly as these issues pertain to forensic mental health evaluations. It focuses on the evaluation of individuals whose cultural, linguistic, or community experiences differ from those of the evaluator—an increasingly common reality in clinical practice. The book provides clinicians and trainees with a foundation for conducting culturally informed and context sensitive assessments and guides researchers by identifying gaps, methodological challenges, and future directions in the study of cross-cultural forensic mental health assessment. Ultimately, the authors call for more accurate, equitable, and culturally responsive evaluations for those who are historically overrepresented, yet often underserved, within forensic systems.

Author Biography

Barry Rosenfeld is a Professor of Psychology and Adjunct Professor of Law at Fordham University. He is a Past President of the American Psychology Law Society and the International Association of Forensic Mental Health Services, and a member of multiple editorial boards. He is board certified in forensic psychology and conducts evaluations on a wide range of civil and criminal forensic issues, both in the U.S. and abroad. He has published over 250 journal articles and book chapters and provides workshops on a range of forensic topics issues including cross-cultural issues in forensic practice, violence risk assessment, and malingering.

Alicia Nijdam-Jones is a Registered Clinical Psychologist and Assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of Manitoba, where she has held a faculty position since 2021. She will be joining the Department of Psychology at Simon Fraser University as an Assistant Professor in January 2026. She is the Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal

of Forensic Mental Health and has published over 40 journal articles and book chapters. Her research and clinical practice focus on psychological assessment involving individuals from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, with projects on violence risk, response bias, and culturally responsive forensic methods. She collaborates closely with communities and systems to improve equity in forensic mental health services.