Article: Journal of Behavioral Psychology (Marín Torices, M. I.)
Recently the Journal of Behavioral Psychology published an article from our research team concerning the use of neuropsychological evaluations in forensic cases of intimate partner violence. It is widely acknowledged that female victims of intimate partner violence suffer from psychological problems including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Neuropsychological health, however, is rarely assessed. This is concerning, considering the high frequency with which women are hit in the head by batterers and the implications of subsequent brain injury on well-being. Furthermore, these neuropsychological deficits are not normally considered during the forensic procedures for establishing criminal penalty or economic compensation for brain damage. The objective of the present study was to describe the case of A.P., a woman who suffered intimate partner violence during 3 years with very frequent blows on the head and who was accused of murdering her husband. A comprehensive neuropsychological battery was administered to assess principal neuropsychological domains such as perception, attention, memory, language, executive functioning, and effort. Results from the forensic neuropsychological assessment revealed that A.P. suffered from attention and executive function deficits (specifically working memory, flexibility, and decision making), while ruling out the possibility of simulation. Considering this neuropsychological report, the jury decided to declare A.P. as unfit to plead for murder. To our knowledge, this is the first case in Spain in which neuropsychological deficits caused by intimate partner violence were considered to declare the victim as unaccountable.
Marín Torices, M. I., Hidalgo-Ruzzante, N., Tovar Sabio, V., & Pérez García, M. (2016). NEUROPSICOLOGÍA FORENSE EN UN CASO DE VIOLENCIA DE GÉNERO. BehavioralPsychology/Psicologia Conductual, 24(2).