Ethical issues of psychological expertise and interdisciplinary interaction between psychologists and lawyers

16

Abstract

Context and relevance. Effective law enforcement practice, including investigative and judicial actions, involves intensive interactions and collaboration of specialists of various profiles, which requires, in particular, a mutual understanding of the specifics of the work and the implementation of professional ethical standards by lawyers and psychologists. The most difficult problems are the ethical dilemmas and complexities in the field of judicial process and, in particular, the conduct and interpretation of the results of forensic psychological examination. Objective. Analysis of the ethical foundations and the most relevant ethical dilemmas in the field of forensic psychological examination practice and interaction between psychologists and lawyers. Methods and materials. Analysis of national and foreign literary sources, ethical regulation in the law enforcement practice of psychologists and lawyers, as well as materials of civil and criminal cases (100 cases concerning minors). Results. The most serious ethical problems for lawyers and psychologists working at the intersection of two applied disciplines in expert work are difficulties of a terminological and substantive nature, as well as understanding and implementing basic ethical principles and norms. Conclusions. Effective professional interaction and the resolution of ethical problems arising in the field of forensic psychological examination require active joint efforts of specialists in two fields - lawyers and psychologists both in terms of developing ethically sound interaction strategies and practical activities.

General Information

Keywords: interdisciplinary interaction, professional ethics, ethical principles, forensic psychological examination

Journal rubric: Forensic and Clinical Psychology in Legal Context

Article type: scientific article

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17759/psylaw.2025150204

Acknowledgements. The author is grateful to St. Petersburg State University and the V.M. Bekhterev National Medical Research Center for Psychiatry and Neurology, on the basis of which this work was conducted.

Received 23.01.2025

Accepted

Published

For citation: Shaboltas, A.V. (2025). Ethical issues of psychological expertise and interdisciplinary interaction between psychologists and lawyers. Psychology and Law, 15(2), 47–59. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.17759/psylaw.2025150204

© Shaboltas A.V., 2025

License: CC BY-NC 4.0

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Information About the Authors

Alla V. Shaboltas, Doctor of Psychology, Docent, Professor, Professor of the Faculty of Psychology, Saint Petersbourg University, St.Petersburg, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1966-6924, e-mail: a.shaboltas@spbu.ru

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