The competency crisis and forensic evaluator burnout

Abstract

Forensic psychologists conducting competence to stand trial evaluations may be at high risk of professional burnout (i.e., feeling exhausted, cynical, ineffective) due to the ongoing increase in demand for competence evaluations. The present study assessed the degree and potential consequences of burnout among 129 forensic evaluators conducting competence to stand trial evaluations in the United States. More than half of the evaluators (56%) reported being burned out and more than one third (39%) had considered leaving their jobs due to the demand of competence evaluations. Workload demands, feeling rushed while conducting essential job functions, understaffing, and class action lawsuits in the evaluator's jurisdiction were predictive of burnout and thoughts of job exit. These findings draw attention to the critical number of forensic evaluators experiencing burnout and the need for changes to end the cycle of understaffing, increased workload demands, burnout, and job exit. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).