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Call for Proposals for the 39th Annual Forensic Psychology Symposium

Submissions due November 17 at 11:59 pm Pacific time

We invite proposal submissions for the 2024 Annual Symposium in Forensic Psychology. We are seeking proposals that apply to the practice of forensic psychology, including the business of forensic psychology as well as criminal, civil, and family law matters. Proposals addressing current issues, ethics, diversity, research, treatment, and assessment in forensic psychology are encouraged. Proposed presentations should be empirically based when possible.

 

Proposals are due on or before 11:59 PM PST on Friday, November 17, 2023. Proposals will be evaluated through a peer review process that considers intellectual merit, innovation, and applications for practice. Decisions will be made and communicated to proposal submitters before December 15, 2023.

Papers: Proposals may be submitted for presentation of a paper. Paper presentations will typically be scheduled for 1 hour time slots. Proposals for paper presentations must include a summary (up to 500 words), 3 learning objectives, and at least 5 references of recently published research articles that will be used in the presentation.

Panel: Proposals may be submitted for a panel discussion or a similar format. Panel presentations may be scheduled for longer time periods than paper presentations. Proposals for panel presentations should include a summary (up to 500 words) and 3 learning objectives.

Student Posters: Undergraduate and graduate students may submit proposals to present 1 or 2 posters during the symposium. Posters will be presented verbally and visually during the poster session. Proposals for poster presentations should include a summary (up to 500 words) that ends with recommendations explaining how forensic psychologists and/or attorneys can apply the research. Poster presentations must have a student first author/presenter and a faculty advisor who serves as a co-author; other co-authors are optional.


Notes about Presentations:

  • Presenters must provide presentation slides to ACFP at least one week before the conference.
  • Presenters are expected to provide handouts to attendees (in PDF).
  • Handouts will be posted on the website for attendees.
  • Presenters are provided a registration discount for the conference.
  • Travel and other expenses of presenters are not reimbursed.

Possible Presentation Topics (based on recent needs assessments)

  • Starting a forensic psychology practice
  • The business of running a forensic psychology practice
  • Closing a forensic psychology practice
  • HIPAA in forensic psychology practice
  • Supervising students in a forensic psychology practice
  • Emerging areas of practice
  • Forensic practice with transgender clients
  • Forensic practice with clients from various cultural, religious, racial, ethnic groups
  • Handling emergences of multiple roles in forensic practice
  • Review of newly published assessments that are forensically relevant
  • Assessing abuse allegations
  • Assessment of violence risk
  • Assessment of risk/recidivism in sex offenders
  • Tarasoff warnings
  • Forensic assessment of computer-facilitated sex crimes
  • Psychopharmacology
  • Review of neuroanatomy
  • Pediatric neuropsychology
  • PTSD as a mitigating factor in forensic psychological findings
  • Social media and its relevance to forensic practice
  • Considering substance use disorders in forensic assessment
  • Effective consultations with attorneys
    Handling cross-examination as an expert witness
    Ethics and the law as applied to the practice of psychology
    Current laws relevant to forensic psychology
    Eyewitness memory
  • Trial consulting
  • Personal injury assessments
  • Disability assessments/evaluations
    Malingering and deception detection in personal injury or disability cases
    Assessment instruments for malingering and response bias
    Methodology in forensic assessments
    Fitness for duty evaluations
    The use of brain scans in forensic assessments
    Forensic geropsychology
    Demonstrating reliability of testing
  • Capacity and competence
    Psychological autopsy
    Differential diagnosis in forensic cases
    Criminal responsibility cases
    Cultural competency related to specific forensic issues/assessment
    Forensic assessment in immigration cases
    Child custody and parental fitness assessments
    Juvenile transfer evaluations
  • Other relevant topics
ACFP 2024 Symposium Proposal Submission Form
Write a description of your presentation, including the major points that your talk or panel will cover. The summary should be at least 250 words and no more than 500 words.
Clearly describe what the learner will know or be able to do as a result of having attended your presentation. Objectives must be observable and measurable. Verbs to consider using include: list, describe, discuss, summarize, explain, demonstrate, apply, analyze, plan, assess, compile. AVOID using: know, understand, learn, appreciate, become aware of. Student poster proposals do not have to provide learning objectives.
Acceptable presentations must adhere to the definition of continuing education in that they improve service to the public and enhance contributions to the profession. The content of your presentation must meet one of the following:

1. Program content focuses on application of psychological assessment and/or intervention methods that have overall consistent and credible empirical support in the contemporary peer reviewed scientific literature beyond those publications and other types of communications devoted primarily to the promotion of the approach;

2. Program content focuses on ethical, legal, statutory or regulatory policies, guidelines, and standards that impact psychological practice, education, or research;

3. Program content focuses on topics related to psychological practice, education, research other than application of psychological assessment and/or intervention methods that are supported by contemporary scholarship grounded in established research procedures.

Describe in detail how the content of your presentation meets one of the three statements above. Be sure to indicate which of the three the talk meets. Student poster proposals do not have to provide curriculum content information.
Please provide at least 5 current (published in last 10 years), relevant, supporting, and complete psychology references as evidence that the content of your talk meets the Curriculum Content criterion you specified above. This supportive evidence should directly reflect the narrative and content being delivered, i.e., references that reflect the full breadth of the learning objectives and narrative. Student poster proposals should list the references cited in their proposal.
As we do every year, we will be submitting an application to the State Bar of California to offer continuing education credits for attorneys attending the Symposium. To be approved, the activity must relate to legal subjects directly relevant to members of the State Bar or have significant current professional and practical content. Please briefly describe how the content of your talk is relevant to attorneys. Student poster proposals do not have to provide MCLE information.
Please provide a brief bio (no more than 100 words) that will be used to introduce you and your co-presenters at the meeting and for publication in the program. Please emphasize your expertise in the area of your proposal. In addition, please send your CV to ACFP@forensicpsychology.org. Student poster proposers do not need to provide a bio or send a CV.
Please click here to indicate your agreement to submit your presentation and, if relevant, handouts, to ACFP@forensicpsychology.org before March 6, 2024.
Please click here to agree with this statement: If my presentation is accepted and placed on the ACFP Symposium program, I promise to register for the Symposium and deliver the presentation. Note that presenters will pay a discounted registration fee.