Position:

Associate Professor

Contact Information:

afanniff@paloaltou.edu

Other Positions:

Faculty Senate Chair

Programs:

PhD Program

Education:

PhD, Clinical Psychology, University of Arizona, Tucson (2009)
MA, Clinical Psychology, University of Arizona, Tucson (2004)
BS, Human Development and Psychological Services, Northwestern University (2001)

Biography:

Dr. Amanda Fanniff received her PhD in clinical psychology from the University of Arizona, with a subspecialization in psychology, policy, and law. She completed her clinical internship at Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. She also completed a post-doctoral fellowship in the Department of Mental Health Law and Policy at the University of South Florida.

Her research primarily focuses on forensic mental health assessment, legal system processing, and the impact of sociocultural identities. One line of this research specifically focuses on best practices in conducting culturally-informed forensic mental health assessment. Relatedly, she engages in research focused on how well the field of forensic psychology is doing regarding incorporating sociocultural factors into our research designs in thoughtful ways. Another line of research focuses on disparities in legal system processing, including how people with different sociocultural identities are perceived by legal system actors and how processing decisions and outcomes differ. She also incorporates developmental considerations in the assessment and treatment of adolescents and emerging adults with legal system involvement. She and her lab members also keep trauma-related considerations at the forefront of their research given the high rates of trauma in legal-system involved people.

Areas of Interest:

Forensic psychology; Culturally-informed forensic mental health assessment, Developmental considerations in the assessment and treatment of juvenile offenders; competence to stand trial in adolescents; adults and adolescents who commit sexual offenses

Selected Publications:

Selected articles:

Fanniff, A.M., York, T., & Gutierrez, R. (2023). Developing consensus for culturally informed forensic mental health assessment: Experts' opinions on best practices. Law and Human Behavior, 47(3), 385–402. https://doi.org/10.1037/lhb0000531

Fanniff, A.M., & Alexander, A.A. (2023). Improving Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Research on Sexual Abuse Perpetration. Sexual Abuse, 34(7), 780- 805. https://doi.org/10.1177/10790632221091193

Fanniff, A.M., York, T.M.*, Montena, A.L. & Bohnsack, K. (2022). Current practices in incorporating culture into forensic mental health assessment: A survey of practitioners. International Journal of Forensic Mental Health, 21(2), 146–163. https://doi.org/10.1080/14999013.2021.1952355

Fix, R.L., Fanniff, A.M., Kline, J.L., & Letourneau, E.J. (2021). Disproportionate minority contact: An expanded examination of how threat of violent and sexual offending impacts court outcomes. Race and Justice. Advance Online Publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/21533687211032315

Selected presentations:

Fanniff, A.M. (2024, March). Culturally Informed or Culture Blind? Coverage of Sociocultural Identities in United States-Based Forensic Psychology Journals, 2016-2020. Chair. Symposium presented at the 2024 American Psychology-Law Society Annual Conference, Los Angeles, CA.

Wallach, L.N., Krein, I., & Fanniff, A.M. (2024, March). Differential Functioning of the TriPM: An Item-Response Theory Analysis by Race. Paper presented at the 2024 American Psychology-Law Society Annual Conference, Los Angeles, CA.

Alafoginis, M. & Fanniff, A.M. (2024, March). The CSS-M’s Validity as a Measure of Criminal Attitudes: Measuring Differences and Disparities Between Racial Groups. Paper in data blitz presented at the 2024 American Psychology-Law Society Annual Conference, Los Angeles, CA.

Krein, I. & Fanniff, A.M. (2023, March). Parenting Differences Across Race and Juveniles Self Report Offending. Paper presented at the 2023 American Psychology-Law Society Annual Conference, Philadelphia, PA.