A review of race- and ethnicity-focused measures: application in forensic mental health assessment

Purpose This study aims to address the lack of emphasis within forensic mental health assessment (FMHA) on formal appraisal of race- and ethnicity-related experiences, despite their profound impact on minoritized groups. It provides theoretical and ethical justification for integrating explicit appraisal of race and ethnicity into FMHA. Design/methodology/approach The study conducted a scoping review of 108 existing race- and ethnicity-focused (REF) psychological measures to identify those that are psychometrically sound (i.e. reliable, valid), recent and sufficiently documented for potential use in forensic contexts. Measures were evaluated against these criteria and narrowed down to a final set of 16. Findings Only one measure, the UConn racial/ethnic stress and trauma survey, was deemed currently appropriate for use in FMHA without revision. The remaining 15 require further development or adaptation to meet the standards for forensic application. The study outlines considerations for revising these tools for such use. Research limitations/implications The authors view this publication as a starting point for the further empirical work that will be required to validate revised or newly developed measures for forensic use and to understand how these assessments may influence FMHA outcomes. Social implications Formal inclusion of race and ethnicity appraisals in FMHA may reduce bias, enhance fairness and improve the relevance of forensic evaluations for minoritized individuals. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to systematically evaluate race- and ethnicity-related psychological measures for their applicability in FMHA, filling a critical gap in the literature and advancing the discussion of equity and cultural competence in forensic practice.