ODL 420: The Psychology of Uncertain Memory: Blackouts, Confessions, and Accusations

5 Credit Hours: This 5-hour course brings together three topic areas that often confound forensic evaluations but may be encountered in any clinical practice: false accusations, false confessions, and alcohol induced blackouts. False accusations present a particular challenge to mental health practitioners, and insights into the factors and dynamics behind these claims will help clinicians better navigate their conversations with clients around this topic. False confessions are a very interesting phenomenon, particularly in forensic assessment. This course asks the question, “What would make a person confess to a crime or act they did not commit?” Finally, the impact of alcohol on cognition, and particularly memory, is explored in a segment on alcohol-induced blackouts. This course aims to illuminate the research behind each of these areas to give the clinician a foundation for addressing them in real practice.