Purpose

In January 2013, new court procedure rules were introduced in England and Wales, which resulted in significant changes to the instruction of expert witness psychologists (EWPsychs). This study aims to build on the results of previous survey studies of psychologists working as expert witnesses in identifying the current challenges faced by EWPsychs.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a mixed-methods design, a sample 58 practicing psychologist expert witnesses were surveyed, and qualitative data was analysed using a thematic analysis approach.

Findings

Six overarching themes emerged from the online survey data: training and knowledge, changes to procedure rules and Legal Aid Authority fees, quality of reports, pressures to change opinion, conflict with EWPsychs and expert witness feedback. Over a third of psychologists working as expert witness have not received specific expert witness training, with a quarter of respondents indicating that the capped legal aid fees are a determining factor in whether they accept instruction as an expert witness, and almost two-third of respondents believing that the legal aid rates do not accurately reflect the work that they do.

Practical implications

There is clear demand for high-quality EWPsychs and a need to develop expert witness training programmes and guidance documents to better support the next generation of EWPsychs.

Originality/value

These results inform existing policy, clinical practice and guidance documents in supporting psychologists working as expert witnesses.

中文翻译：

---

心理学家作为专家证人：专家证人咨询小组 (EWAG) 的调查结果

目的

2013 年 1 月，英格兰和威尔士引入了新的法庭程序规则，这导致专家证人心理学家 (EWPsychs) 的教学发生了重大变化。本研究旨在建立在先前作为专家证人的心理学家调查研究结果的基础上，以确定 EWPsychs 当前面临的挑战。

设计/方法/方法

使用混合方法设计，抽样调查了58名执业心理学家专家证人，并使用主题分析方法对定性数据进行了分析。

发现

在线调查数据中出现了六个总体主题：培训和知识、程序规则和法律援助机构费用的变化、报告质量、改变意见的压力、与 EWPsychs 的冲突和专家证人反馈。超过三分之一的作为专家证人的心理学家没有接受过专门的专家证人培训，四分之一的受访者表示，法律援助费用上限是他们是否接受专家证人指导的决定性因素，近三分之二的受访者表示相信法律援助费率没有准确反映他们所做的工作。

实际影响

对高质量 EWPsych 的需求很明确，并且需要制定专家证人培训计划和指导文件，以更好地支持下一代 EWPsych。

原创性/价值

这些结果为支持心理学家作为专家证人的现有政策、临床实践和指导文件提供了信息。