Forensic Psychological Expert Research as a Tool for Establishing the Emotional States of Stress and Frustration of the Accused

Abstract

The article highlights the importance of forensic psychological examination as a tool for identifying and assessing stress and frustration in defendants involved in criminal proceedings. The article emphasizes that forensic psychological examination is a professional study of mental processes and behavioral mechanisms of the individual, conducted by an expert to provide substantiated conclusions during the trial. Special attention is given to expert analysis in determining individuals’ level of awareness of their own actions, ability to self‐regulate, and depth of emotional experiences. The outlined indicators are important when determining moral damage and the degree of compliance. The method‐ological basis of the scientific research draws on cognitive‐affective approaches, theoretical models of stress‐frustration, and principles of legal psychology. The application of legal concepts provides a comprehensive analysis of psycho‐emotional factors that influence the behavior of the defendant, including under conditions of psychological trauma. It has been established that timely and high‐quality diagnostics of stress and frustration manifestations is important for the correct legal assessment of a person’s actions, determining the amount of compensation for moral damage, and making a fair decision. The scientific value of the study lies in conceptualizing forensic psychological examination as a tool capable of objectively identifying the psycho‐emotional factors in defendants. The proposed approaches will contribute to further standardization of expert procedures and to the integration of interdisciplinary methods, thereby enhancing the credibility and practical significance of forensic experts.