Cognitive assessments: dangerously remote?

• Warns of the risks of remotely performed cognitive functioning, capacity and other psychological assessments.
• Advises that solicitors should not commission these on a remote basis, and should alert the court in the event of any assessment being carried out remotely.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, I continued to offer all assessments in person, using personal protective equipment and social distancing. I felt this was important because so much of a psychologist’s assessment is based on rapport-building to ensure accurate information is provided and to assist clients when sharing difficult and personal information, as well as observing non-verbal communication, all of which are difficult to do remotely. However, I know many psychologists started offering remote assessments, including cognitive functioning/capacity assessments, and that this is still going on. I would suggest this was never necessary and that doing it now is not only unnecessary, but likely inappropriate unless under certain circumstances, as well as potentially misleading.

I first became concerned when I saw cognitive functioning assessments