Adjudicating Credibility: Documenting the Role of Mental Health Immigration Forensic Assessments.

Abstract

Mental health or psychological forensic assessments are a growing practice in immigration adjudication, but the practice is not well understood. Several studies have measured the impact of medical or mental health forensic reports in immigration adjudication; yet none have documented when mental health forensic reports are sought or how they are conducted in practice. This article undertakes an interdisciplinary empirical documentation of the practice of forensic mental health assessments in immigration adjudication. A core focus of our survey was documenting the role of mental health forensic immigration assessments in substantiating migrants' trauma and bolstering credibility. Our preliminary findings identify ways to improve the practice of mental health assessments within the immigration context toward practices that are more consistent with the science of trauma and memory.