Cross-Examining the Psychologist, Neuropsychologist & Psychiatrist

• Author: Dorothy Clay Sims
• Pages: 711-760

12-1

CROSS: PSYCHOLOGIST,

NEUROPSYCHOLOGIST,

PSYCHIATRIST

CHAPTER 12

CROSSEXAMINING THE PSYCHOLOGIST,

NEUROPSYCHOLOGIST & PSYCHIATRIST

I. HOW PSYCHOLOGISTS DIFFER FROM NEUROPSYCHOLOGISTS DIFFER FROM PSYCHIATRISTS

§12:01 Different Education Backgrounds, Job Duties

§12:02 Sample Background Questions: Psychologists, Neuropsychologists

§12:03 Sample Background Questions: Psychiatrists

[§12:04 Reserved]

II. HOW TO ANALYZE THE DME’S REPORT

§12:05 Understand DSM Multi-Axial Coding System

§12:06 Challenge “Deferred” Scores

§12:07 Attack GAF Scores

§12:08 Demand Percentile Scores

§12:09 Challenge “Preprinted” Reports

§12:10 Retain an Expert

§12:11 A Few Tips, If You Must Do Your Own Review

[§§12:12-12:14 Reserved]

III. HOW TO APPROACH CROSSEXAMINATION

§12:15 Pin the Doctor Down

§12:16 Don’t Let Doctor Get Outside His Area of Specialty

§12:17 Point Out Inconsistencies

[§§12:18-12:19 Reserved]

IV. HOW TO CHALLENGE NEUROLOGICAL TESTS

§12:20 Understand Weaknesses in Neuropsychological Tests

§12:21 Ask Questions to Point Out Test Weaknesses

[§§12:22-12:24 Reserved]

V. HOW TO CHALLENGE COMMON DEFENSES

§12:25 Typical Positions of Defense Psychologists/Psychiatrists

§12:26 Sample Questions—Reliance on Defense Psychologist Over Treating Psychologist

§12:27 Sample Questions—Ethics and the Psychologist

APPENDICES

Appendix 12-A: Expert’s Checklist for Reviewing DME Report and Raw Data

Appendix 12-B: Board Certif‌ication—Comparison Chart

Appendix 12-C: APA Code of Ethics—Cross-Examination Prompts

Exposing Deceptive Defense Doctors 12-2

CROSS: PSYCHOLOGIST,

NEUROPSYCHOLOGIST,

PSYCHIATRIST

FORMS

Form 12-1: Conditional Agreement to Defense Psychological Examination

Form 12-2: Opposition to Defendants’ Expedited Motion to Compel Independent Medical

Examination and/or for Protective Order

Form 12-3: Motion to Exclude Testimony of Dr. _________ [Cultural Issues]

Form 12-4: Letter re: Obtaining Raw Data

Form 12-5: Aff‌idavit of Dr. _____ (re DME’s Failure to Follow Standardized Testing Procedures)

12-3 Cross-Examining the Psychologist, Neuropsychologist & Psychiatrist §12:02

CROSS: PSYCHOLOGIST,

NEUROPSYCHOLOGIST,

PSYCHIATRIST

I. HOW PSYCHOLOGISTS DIFFER FROM

NEUROPSYCHOLOGISTS DIFFER FROM PSYCHIATRISTS

§12:01 Different Education Backgrounds, Job Duties

Α πσψχηιατριστ ηασ α δεγρεε ιν µεδιχινε, ωηιχη µεανσ ηε χαν ωριτε πρεσχριπτιονσ, ορδερ ανδ ιντερπρετ βλοοδ

ωορκ ανδ σχανσ, χονδυχτ α πηψσιχαλ εξαµινατιον, µακε µεδιχαλ διαγνοσεσ ανδ ρυλε ουτ οργανιχ µεδιχαλ χαυσεσ φορ

πσψχηιατριχ χονδιτιονσ. Πσψχηολογιστσ χαν δο νονε οφ τηεσε τηινγσ. Πσψχηολογιστσ ανδ νευροπσψχηολογιστσ δο νοτ

ηαϖε µεδιχαλ δεγρεεσ; τηεψ ηαϖε πσψχηολογψ δεγρεεσ.





 ε.γ., Φλοριδα) δο νοτ λιχενσε νευροπσψχηολογιστσ. Τηεψ ονλψ αωαρδ λιχενσεσ το





τηατ α νευροπσψχηολογιστ µαψ σπενδ σεϖεραλ ψεαρσ λιµιτινγ ηισ ορ ηερ πραχτιχε το νευροπσψχηολογψ ανδ βε α µεµβερ





 



 ι.ε., τηε µεδιχαλ δοχτορ) οφτεν ισ τηε λεαστ χαπαβλε οφ ρενδερινγ



ωορκ ινϖολϖεσ τηε αδµινιστρατιον ανδ ιντερπρετατιον οφ πσψχηολογιχαλ τεστσ. Πσψχηιατριστσ, ασ οπποσεδ το πσψχηολ−

ογιστσ, αρε ραρελψ τραινεδ ιν ειτηερ.

PRACTICE POINT:

Membership in an organization does not an expert make.

When the DME claims membership in certain organizations, consider the following:

The National Academy of Neuropsychology (NAN), The American Psychological Association, (APA),

and Division 40 of the APA (neuropsychology) require no written test. The American Board of Clinical Neu-

ropsychology permitted the f‌irst approximately 170 members to be grandfathered in. Therefore, they were

not required to take a test.

The American Board of Professional Neuropsychology does not have a pediatric-only oral and or exam-

ination. A person can f‌lunk most pediatric questions and still be board certif‌ied by this organization and

claim to be an expert in pediatrics. The only organization to actually limit its written test, oral test and work

sample solely to pediatrics is the American Academy of Pediatric Neuropsychology (http://www.theaapn.

org/)/. This organization requires testing devoted only to pediatrics and will not permit “grandfathering” in

of a member (thereby avoiding testing).

The Association of Post-doctorate Programs in Clinical Neuropsychology (www.appcn.org/) credentials

only a fraction of fellowships. Problems in fellowships include:

a. Lack of rigorous standards to accept and stay in the program

b. Lack of testing prior to completion of the program

c. No documentation the program existed

d. No published standards under which the program operates.

§12:02 Sample Background Questions: Psychologists, Neuropsychologists

−

    

    





1



µυστ ηαϖε ωορκεδ ιν νευροπσψχηολογψ φορ α µινιµυµ οφ τωο ψεαρσ αφτερ ρεχειϖινγ ηισ Πη.∆.2