Shawn Wygant

Shawn A. Wygant of Forensic Family Research functions as a researcher for Joshi. He has an educational background in both law studies and the behavioral sciences recently earning a Master of Arts degree in Forensic Psychology from Argosy University. As a forensic psychological researcher, he is tasked with the responsibility of knowing how psycholegal questions that arise within the context of a criminal, civil, or quasi-criminal (child abuse/neglect) case should be answered. This requires that he keeps abreast of the current literature and case law on every relevant subject matter thus ensuring that every recommendation, inference, or conclusion that can be drawn from his research of a particular behavioral science issue or point in the law is backed up by science. This also requires that he maintains a large searchable database of behavioral science treatises, peer-reviewed journal articles, and law case opinions.

Areas of Research

  • Interrogation and interviewing techniques
  • Child psychological maltreatment
  • Child suggestibility
  • Parental alienation
  • False allegations of sexual abuse
  • Child custody
  • Memory
  • Adjudicative competency
  • Criminal responsibility
  • Personality disorders
  • Psychopathology

Education

  • Argosy University, Phoenix, Arizona
    • M.A. Forensic Psychology
    • Concentration: Assessment
  • Argosy University, Phoenix, Arizona
    • B.A. Psychology
    • Concentration: Criminal Justice

Selected Works

  • Wygant, S. A. (2015).The pitfalls and hazards of interviewing non-abused children for sexual abuse and how to avoid them.Department of Psychology, Argosy University, Phoenix, Arizona.
  • Wygant, S. A. (2014). Paternal deprivation and its harmful effects on child development.Forensic Family Research, 6(1), 31-40.
  • Wygant, S. A. (2013).Research grant proposal for the prevention and treatment of child psychological maltreatment.Department of Psychology, Argosy University, Phoenix, Arizona.
  • Wygant, S. A. (2012c). Child suggestibility and the misinformation effect. Department of Psychology, Argosy University, Phoenix, Arizona.
  • Wygant, S. A. (2012b). Understanding and assessing personality disorders from a dimensional perspective.Forensic Family Research, 4(3), 5-20.
  • Wygant, S. A. (2012a).The pathogenesis, diagnosis, & treatment of borderline personality disorder. Department of Psychology, Argosy University, Phoenix, Arizona.
  • Wygant, S. A. (2011).The psychopathology of Albert DeSalvo, Department of Psychology, Argosy University, Phoenix, Arizona.
  • Wygant, S. A. (2010b).Profiling & identifying serial killers: A case study of child killer Albert Fish. Department of Psychology, Argosy University, Phoenix, Arizona.
  • Wygant, S. A. (2010a).State v. Kip Kinkle: A case for replacing the insanity defense with guilty-but-mentally-ill. Department of Psychology, Argosy University, Phoenix, Arizona.
  • Wygant, S. A. (2009).Child maltreatment: Emotional abuse & mental injury defined. Department of Psychology, Argosy University, Phoenix, Arizona.

Professional Associations and Memberships

  • American Bar Association (Student Member)