Evaluación Neuropsicológica Forense: Revisión Sistemática y Análisis Bibliométrico
Forensic Neuropsychological Assessment: A Systematic Review and Bibliometric Analysis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56712/latam.v7i4.6433Palabras clave:
neuropsicología forense, evaluación neuropsicológica, validez del desempeño, capacidad jurídica, bibliometríaResumen
La evaluación neuropsicológica forense transforma datos cognitivos, conductuales y clínicos en respuestas a preguntas jurídicas, pero su evidencia permanece dispersa entre estudios de validez, estándares profesionales, capacidad civil, competencia procesal y daño cerebral. El objetivo principal de este estudio fue analizar integralmente la evolución, la estructura científica y la configuración temática de la producción académica sobre la evaluación neuropsicológica forense, mediante una revisión sistemática de alcance y un análisis bibliométrico. Se realizó una revisión sistemática de alcance con análisis bibliométrico de registros descargados de PubMed, Scopus y Web of Science mediante el acceso institucional de la Universidad Politécnica Salesiana, con fecha de corte al 31 de julio de 2026. Se identificaron 468 registros; después de eliminar 118 duplicados, se cribaron 350 documentos y 202 cumplieron los criterios de pertinencia. La validez del desempeño, de los síntomas y la simulación concentró 94 estudios (46,5%); le siguieron daño cerebral y causalidad (n = 51; 25,2%), ámbito penal (n = 26; 12,9%), estándares y ética (n = 19; 9,4%) y capacidad civil y discapacidad (n = 12; 5,9%). Las revistas, Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology y The Clinical Neuropsychologist fueron las fuentes más productivas, mientras Jerry J. Sweet y Kyle B. Boone encabezaron la autoría. La evidencia coincide en que una puntuación aislada no demuestra simulación, incapacidad ni causalidad. La evaluación sólida exige múltiples indicadores de validez, revisión de expedientes, hipótesis alternativas, normas culturalmente pertinentes y una comunicación que diferencie datos, inferencias y límites. El campo muestra consolidación metodológica, aunque mantiene brechas transculturales y una marcada concentración norteamericana.
Descargas
Citas
Aria, M., & Cuccurullo, C. (2017). bibliometrix: An R-tool for comprehensive science mapping analysis. Journal of Informetrics, 11(4), 959–975. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joi.2017.08.007
Arredondo, B. C., Marcopulos, B. A., Brand, J. G., Campbell, K. T., & Kent, J. A. (2017). Cognitive functioning and adjudicative competence: defendants referred for neuropsychological evaluation in a psychiatric inpatient setting. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 31(8), 1432-1448. https://doi.org/10.1080/13854046.2017.1317032
Begali, V. L. (2020). Neuropsychology and the dementia spectrum: Differential diagnosis, clinical management, and forensic utility. NeuroRehabilitation, 46(2), 181-194. https://doi.org/10.3233/NRE-192965
Biddle, C. M., Fazio, R. L., Dyshniku, F., & Denney, R. L. (2018). Effects of handcuffs on neuropsychological testing: Implications for criminal forensic evaluations. Applied Neuropsychology: Adult, 25(1), 82-90. https://doi.org/10.1080/23279095.2016.1247093
Binder, L. M., Martin, P. K., & Schroeder, R. W. (2026). When failure on one performance validity test demonstrates invalid neuropsychological responding. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 40(6), 1659–1670. https://doi.org/10.1080/13854046.2025.2570302
Boone, K. B., Sweet, J. J., Beattey, R. A., Jr., Kaufmann, P. M., Hebben, N., Marreiro, C., James, J., Silva, D., Victor, T., Hamilton, A., Glen, T., Kinsora, T. F., Bender, H. A., & Barisa, M. (2025). Release of protected test information under protective order: Viable solution or illusory safeguard? An interorganizational position paper. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 40(4), 723–733. https://doi.org/10.1093/arclin/acae101
Boone, K. B. (2009). The need for continuous and comprehensive sampling of effort/response bias during neuropsychological examinations. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 23(4), 729-41. https://doi.org/10.1080/13854040802427803
Bush, S. S. (2005). Independent and court-ordered forensic neuropsychological examinations: official statement of the National Academy of Neuropsychology. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 20(8), 997-1007. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acn.2005.06.003
Bush, S. S., Ruff, R. M., Tröster, A. I., Barth, J. T., Koffler, S. P., Pliskin, N. H., Reynolds, C. R., & Silver, C. H. (2005). Symptom validity assessment: Practice issues and medical necessity. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 20(4), 419–426. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acn.2005.02.002
Chafetz, M. D., Sweet, J. J., Boone, K. B., Cox, D., Hall, V., Kirkwood, M. W., Lafosse, J. M., Merten, T., & Oldenburg, C. (2025). Neuropsychological review of records in forensic cases: An AACN best practices paper with international perspectives. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 39(4), 839-869. https://doi.org/10.1080/13854046.2025.2461750
Chafetz, M. D., Williams, M. A., Ben-Porath, Y. S., Bianchini, K. J., Boone, K. B., Kirkwood, M. W., Larrabee, G. J., & Ord, J. S. (2015). Official Position of the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology Social Security Administration Policy on Validity Testing: Guidance and Recommendations for Change. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 29(6), 723-40. https://doi.org/10.1080/13854046.2015.1099738
Dandachi-FitzGerald, B., Ponds, R. W., & Merten, T. (2013). Symptom validity and neuropsychological assessment: a survey of practices and beliefs of neuropsychologists in six European countries. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 28(8), 771-83. https://doi.org/10.1093/arclin/act073
de Geus, E. Q. J., Milders, M. V., van Horn, J. E., Jonker, F. A., Fassaert, T., Hutten, J. C., Kuipers, F., Grimbergen, C., & Noordermeer, S. D. S. (2021). Acquired Brain Injury and Interventions in the Offender Population: A Systematic Review. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 12, 658328. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.658328
Denney, R. L., & Wynkoop, T. F. (2000). Clinical neuropsychology in the criminal forensic setting. Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, 15(2), 804-28. https://doi.org/10.1097/00001199-200004000-00005
Donthu, N., Kumar, S., Mukherjee, D., Pandey, N., & Lim, W. M. (2021). How to conduct a bibliometric analysis: An overview and guidelines. Journal of Business Research, 133, 285–296. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.04.070
English, J. (2025). From injury to inference: Neuropsychological reasoning across divergent mild traumatic brain injury criteria. Applied Neuropsychology: Adult. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/23279095.2025.2593573
Erdodi, L. A. (2023). Multivariate Models of Performance Validity: The Erdodi Index Captures the Dual Nature of Non-Credible Responding (Continuous and Categorical). Assessment, 30(5), 1467-1485. https://doi.org/10.1177/10731911221101910
Essig, S. M., Mittenberg, W., Petersen, R. S., Strauman, S., & Cooper, J. T. (2001). Practices in forensic neuropsychology: perspectives of neuropsychologists and trial attorneys. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 16(3), 271-91.
Faust, D. (2023). Invited Commentary: Advancing but not yet Advanced: Assessment of Effort/Malingering in Forensic and Clinical Settings. Neuropsychology Review, 33(3), 628-642. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11065-023-09605-3
Fazio, R. L., Denning, J. H., & Denney, R. L. (2017). TOMM Trial 1 as a performance validity indicator in a criminal forensic sample. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 31(1), 251-267. https://doi.org/10.1080/13854046.2016.1213316
Fernández Guinea, S. (2001). La neuropsicología forense: consideraciones básicas y campos de aplicación [Forensic neuropsychology: Principal issues and applications]. Revista de Neurología, 32(8), 783-7.
Finley, J. A., Brook, M., Kern, D. M., Reilly, J. L., & Hanlon, R. E. (2023). Profile of Embedded Validity Indicators in Criminal Defendants with Verified Valid Neuropsychological Test Performance. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 38(4), 513-524. https://doi.org/10.1093/arclin/acac073
Frederick, R. I., & Bowden, S. C. (2009). Evaluating constructs represented by symptom validity tests in forensic neuropsychological assessment of traumatic brain injury. Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, 24(2), 105-22. https://doi.org/10.1097/HTR.0b013e31819b1210
Gerstenecker, A., Martin, R. C., Hebert, K., Triebel, K., & Marson, D. C. (2022). Cognitive Correlates of Impaired Testamentary Capacity in Alzheimer's Dementia. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 37(6), 1148-1157. https://doi.org/10.1093/arclin/acac034
Glen, T., Barisa, M., Ready, R., Peck, E., & Spencer, T. R. (2021). Update on Third Party Observers in Neuropsychological Evaluation: An Interorganizational Position Paper. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 35(6), 1107-1116. https://doi.org/10.1080/13854046.2021.1901992
Greher, M. R., & Wodushek, T. R. (2017). Performance Validity Testing in Neuropsychology: Scientific Basis and Clinical Application-A Brief Review. Journal of Psychiatric Practice, 23(2), 134-140. https://doi.org/10.1097/PRA.0000000000000218
Guilmette, T. J., Sweet, J. J., Hebben, N., Koltai, D., Mahone, E. M., Spiegler, B. J., Stucky, K., & Westerveld, M. (2020). American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology consensus conference statement on uniform labeling of performance test scores. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 34(3), 437-453. https://doi.org/10.1080/13854046.2020.1722244
Henry, G. K., Heilbronner, R. L., Mittenberg, W., Enders, C., & Domboski, K. (2009). Comparison of the MMPI-2 restructured Demoralization Scale, Depression Scale, and Malingered Mood Disorder Scale in identifying non-credible symptom reporting in personal injury litigants and disability claimants. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 23(1), 153-66. https://doi.org/10.1080/13854040801969524
Howe, L. L., & McCaffrey, R. J. (2010). Third party observation during neuropsychological evaluation: an update on the literature, practical advice for practitioners, and future directions. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 24(3), 518-37. https://doi.org/10.1080/13854041003775347
Hunter, S., & Kinney, D. I. (2026). The utilization of clinical neuropsychological services within a forensic psychiatric hospital setting: Treatment outcomes, stakeholder perspectives, and future directions. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 41(2), acag011. https://doi.org/10.1093/arclin/acag011
Jelicic, M. (2018). Testing Claims of Crime-Related Amnesia. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 9, 617. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00617
Kaufmann, P. M. (2016). Neuropsychologist Experts and Civil Capacity Evaluations: Representative Cases. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 31(6), 487-94. https://doi.org/10.1093/arclin/acw053
Kaufmann, P. M. (2005). Protecting the objectivity, fairness, and integrity of neuropsychological evaluations in litigation. A privilege second to none? J Leg Med, 26(1), 95-131. https://doi.org/10.1080/01947640590918007
Larrabee, G. J. (2014). False-positive rates associated with the use of multiple performance and symptom validity tests. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 29(4), 364-73. https://doi.org/10.1093/arclin/acu019
Marcopulos, B. A., Kaufmann, P., & Patel, A. C. (2024). Forensic neuropsychological assessment. Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 42(4), 265-277. https://doi.org/10.1002/bsl.2656
Martelli, M. F., Zasler, N. D., & Johnson-Greene, D. (2001). Promoting ethical and objective practice in the medicolegal arena of disability evaluation. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America, 12(3), 571-85.
Martin, P. K., Schroeder, R. W., & Odland, A. P. (2025). Neuropsychological Validity Assessment Beliefs and Practices: A Survey of North American Neuropsychologists and Validity Assessment Experts. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 40(2), 201-223. https://doi.org/10.1093/arclin/acae102
Mikolic, A., Panenka, W. J., Iverson, G. L., Cotton, E., Burke, M. J., & Silverberg, N. D. (2024). Litigation, Performance Validity Testing, and Treatment Outcomes in Adults With Mild Traumatic Brain Injury. Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, 39(3), E153-E161. https://doi.org/10.1097/HTR.0000000000000903
Miller, L. (2001). Not just malingering: syndrome diagnosis in traumatic brain injury litigation. NeuroRehabilitation, 16(2), 109-22.
Mossman, D., Wygant, D. B., & Gervais, R. O. (2012). Estimating the accuracy of neurocognitive effort measures in the absence of a "gold standard". Psychological Assessment, 24(4), 815-22. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0028195
Nelson, N. W., Sweet, J. J., Berry, D. T., Bryant, F. B., & Granacher, R. P. (2007). Response validity in forensic neuropsychology: exploratory factor analytic evidence of distinct cognitive and psychological constructs. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 13(3), 440-9. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1355617707070373
Page, M. J., McKenzie, J. E., Bossuyt, P. M., Boutron, I., Hoffmann, T. C., Mulrow, C. D., Shamseer, L., Tetzlaff, J. M., Akl, E. A., Brennan, S. E., Chou, R., Glanville, J., Grimshaw, J. M., Hróbjartsson, A., Lalu, M. M., Li, T., Loder, E. W., Mayo-Wilson, E., McDonald, S., … Moher, D. (2021). The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ, 372, n71. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n71
Patiz, B., & Bayraktar, S. (2023). Evaluation of neuropsychological characteristics and attention bias in juvenile offenders, juvenile victims, and juveniles who have not participated in the criminal justice system. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1229044. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1229044
Peters, M. J. V., van Oorsouw, K. I. M., Jelicic, M., & Merckelbach, H. (2013). Let's use those tests! Evaluations of crime-related amnesia claims. Memory, 21(5), 599-607. https://doi.org/10.1080/09658211.2013.771672
Reyes, A., LaBode-Richman, V., Salinas, L., & Barr, W. B. (2019). WHO-AVLT recognition trial: Initial validation for a new malingering index for Spanish-speaking patients. Applied Neuropsychology: Adult, 26(6), 564-572. https://doi.org/10.1080/23279095.2018.1470974
Ruocco, A. C., Swirsky-Sacchetti, T., Chute, D. L., Mandel, S., Platek, S. M., & Zillmer, E. A. (2008). Distinguishing between neuropsychological malingering and exaggerated psychiatric symptoms in a neuropsychological setting. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 22(3), 547-64. https://doi.org/10.1080/13854040701336444
Schultz, I. Z., Law, A. K., & Cruikshank, L. C. (2016). Prediction of occupational disability from psychological and neuropsychological evidence in forensic context. International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, 49(1), 183-196. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijlp.2016.10.005
Schwartz, E. S., Erdodi, L., Rodriguez, N., Ghosh, J. J., Curtain, J. R., Flashman, L. A., & Roth, R. M. (2016). CVLT-II Forced Choice Recognition Trial as an Embedded Validity Indicator: A Systematic Review of the Evidence. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 22(8), 851-8. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1355617716000746
Sweet, J. J., Boone, K. B., Denney, R. L., Hebben, N., Marcopulos, B. A., Morgan, J. E., Nelson, N. W., & Westerveld, M. (2023). Forensic neuropsychology: History and current status. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 37(3), 459-474. https://doi.org/10.1080/13854046.2022.2078740
Sweet, J. J., Heilbronner, R. L., Morgan, J. E., Larrabee, G. J., Rohling, M. L., Boone, K. B., Kirkwood, M. W., Schroeder, R. W., & Suhr, J. A. (2021). American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology (AACN) 2021 consensus statement on validity assessment: Update of the 2009 AACN consensus conference statement on neuropsychological assessment of effort, response bias, and malingering. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 35(6), 1053-1106. https://doi.org/10.1080/13854046.2021.1896036
Tussey, C., Lacritz, M., Arredondo, B. C., & Marcopulos, B. (2025). Forensic Neuropsychological Foundations in Competency to Stand Trial Evaluations. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 40(2), 256-271. https://doi.org/10.1093/arclin/acae084
van Eck, N. J., & Waltman, L. (2010). Software survey: VOSviewer, a computer program for bibliometric mapping. Scientometrics, 84(2), 523–538. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-009-0146-3
Varela, J. L., Ord, A. S., Phillips, J. I., Shura, R. D., & Sautter, S. W. (2022). The Development and Validation of the Embedded Validity Indicator for the Neuropsychological Assessment Battery. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 37(1), 133-145. https://doi.org/10.1093/arclin/acab025
Wood, R. L. (2009). The scientist-practitioner model: how do advances in clinical and cognitive neuroscience affect neuropsychology in the courtroom? Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, 24(2), 88-99. https://doi.org/10.1097/HTR.0b013e31819b118a
Young, G. (2024). Interpreting symptom validity test fails in forensic disability and related assessments: When the cry for help for one fail makes sense. Applied Neuropsychology: Adult, 31(5), 1053-1060. https://doi.org/10.1080/23279095.2022.2107929
Publicado
Cómo citar
Número
Sección
Licencia
Derechos de autor 2026 Pedro Andrés Muñoz Arteaga, Vanessa Quito Calle, Lorena Cañizares Jarrin, Andrés Ramírez
Esta obra está bajo una licencia internacional Creative Commons Atribución 4.0.
