The Daubert Standards for Admissibility of Evidence Based on the Personality Assessment Inventory

Abstract

This article considers the admissibility of expert testimony based on the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI; Morey in Personality Assessment Inventory professional manual. Psychological Assessment Resources (1991, 2007a)) from the Daubert standard for rules of evidence. Several topics of PAI research that have relevance to common court proceedings are reviewed, including psychological damages, prediction of recidivism, malingering, and concealed psychopathology. We conclude that the PAI will meet the Daubert standards in most cases. The PAI provides quantitative data that allows for empirical evaluation of reliability and validity. The PAI has been subject to extensive empirical evaluation by the scientific community. Cut scores on various PAI scales and indexes have demonstrated acceptable error rates. Standards exist for the appropriate education and training of PAI users and for proper administration procedures. Finally, the PAI is widely accepted and used by psychologists and other mental health professionals, including those who work in the forensic context.