Falsas memorias y modelo de evaluación social de la credibilidad: implicaciones para la evaluación forense del testimonio

La evaluación psicológica forense es, en muchas ocasiones, la prueba principal sobre la que pivotan las decisiones judiciales, máxime cuando los delitos pertenecen a la esfera privada. Esta evaluación implica la determinación de la realidad del testimonio, siendo normalmente la hipótesis de contraste a la realidad del testimonio la de testimonio fabricado con intención de engaño, si bien la literatura ha señalado la posibilidad de una hipótesis alternativa: la de testimonio basado en falsas memorias. Diferentes estudios han investigado la implantación de falsas memorias mediante técnicas sugestivas, si bien no se ha ofrecido un tamaño del efecto de esta tasa y, por tanto, se desconoce el alcance que este fenómeno pudiera tener. Además, estudios en el área investigan sobre el hecho de que creencias falsas sobre la memoria conforman los juicios, tanto clínicos, jurídicos y sociales, si bien ninguno habría incluido población española. Por tanto, el primer objetivo de esta tesis doctoral consiste en llevar a cabo diferentes meta-análisis con el fin de conocer el tamaño del efecto de la implantación de falsas memorias en el laboratorio, así como determinar las variables moderadoras que pudieran tener una influencia sobre este. Segundo, evaluar la prevalencia de creencias erróneas sobre el funcionamiento de la memoria en la población española. El tercer objetivo consiste en establecer un modelo empírico sobre el establecimiento de juicios de credibilidad social en base a estas creencias. Los resultados obtenidos presentan implicaciones tanto para la evaluación del testimonio, como para el acceso de las víctimas a buenas prácticas sanitarias y forenses frente a aquellas basadas en pseudoterapias

Consequences of child maltreatment victimisation in internalising and externalising mental health problems

Purpose: The literature on the prevalence of child maltreatment is extensive, but studies are required to assess the impact on mental health to enhance the effectiveness of intervention programs. Method: Thus, a field study was undertaken to evaluate depression, anxiety, and anger in 65 child victims of multiple types of maltreatment. Results: The results showed that child maltreatment victim (CM-V) reported more depressive (36%), anxiety (45%), and anger (69%) symptoms than the normative sample. However, subjects were asymptomatic in approximately 25% of depression, 20% anxiety, and 5% of anger. Epidemiologically, the results revealed that the probability of caseness among the CM-Vs sample increased to around 85% for depression and anxiety and 90% for anger.Conclusions: The clinical, social, and legal implications of the results are discussedThis research has been partially sponsored by a grant of the Consellería de Cultura, Educación e Ordenación Universitaria of the Xunta de Galicia (ED431B 2020/46), and by a grant of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (PSI2017-87278-R)S

Implanting rich autobiographical false memories: meta–analysis for forensic practice and judicial judgment making

Objective The implanting of rich autobiographical false memories is crucial for judicial decision–making, and the forensic evaluation of a testimony. In order to assess this issue, a meta–analytical review of the probability of implanting rich autobiographical false memories was performed. Method A total of 30 primary studies analysing the probability of implanting rich autobiographical false memories were retrieved. Random–effects meta–analyses correcting the effect size for sampling error were performed. Results The results revealed a significant, positive, generalizable (the lower limit for the 80% credibility value was d = 1.13), and more than large mean effect size (d = 1.43[1.33, 1.53]) for the implanting of false memory. The moderating effects of stimulus type showed that the effect of the probability of implanted false memory was significantly higher in experienced events (d = 2.03[1.63, 2.43]) than in false narratives (d = 1.35[1.23, 1.47]), and in doctored photographs (d = 1.29[1.06, 1.52]). A similar effect for memory implantation was observed in both the underage (d = 1.44[1.29, 1.59]), and in adults (d = 1.36[1.22, 1.50]). The moderator techniques for implanting false memories revealed a significantly lower probability of implanting false rich memory with non–directive instructions (d = 0.90[0.53, 1.27]) than with guided imagery (d = 1.45[1.32, 1.58]), or with pressure to answer (d = 1.56[1.17, 1.95]) instructions. The event emotional valence moderator exhibited the same effect for positive (d = 1.27[1.09, 1.45]) and negative valence events (d = 1.30[1.17, 1.43]). Conclusions The implications of the results for forensic testimony evaluation, police interrogations, and judicial cross–examination are discussedThis research has been partially sponsored by a grant of the Ministry of Science and Innovation of Spain (PID2020–115881RB–I00) and by a grant of the Consellería de Cultura, Educación e Ordenación Universitaria of the Xunta de Galicia (ED431B 2020/46).S