Behavioral Dysregulation in Peace Officer Pre-Employment Psychological Evaluation: Implications of Under- and Overcontrolled Behaviors

Course Description

This three-hour continuing education course provides California-licensed psychologists with an empirically grounded review of contemporary research on behavioral dysregulation in peace officer candidate populations, with particular focus on the bipolar externalizing framework establishing that both undercontrolled and overcontrolled behavioral patterns carry documented posthire performance implications. The course examines the regulatory and legal framework governing pre-employment psychological evaluation, the neurobiological and theoretical foundations of behavioral regulation, personality assessment instruments including the MMPI-2-RF and MMPI-3, and the integration of these findings across the assessment workflow under POST Regulation 1955(d)(2).

Program Goals

This program builds upon participants' doctoral-level training in psychological assessment, personality theory, and psychopathology by extending those foundational competencies into the specialized applied context of peace officer pre-employment psychological evaluation. The course introduces and develops an empirically established conceptual refinement—the bipolar externalizing framework—that has emerged in the police psychology literature over the past decade and that requires evaluators to update and expand their assessment reasoning beyond the unipolar dysregulation models emphasized in traditional training. By integrating contemporary predictive validity research, neurobiological findings, and regulatory and legal frameworks specific to California POST standards, the course enables participants to apply doctoral-level clinical judgment to a more complete and empirically current understanding of behavioral regulation as a screening construct.

Learning Objectives

After completing this course, participants will be able to:

1. Identify the regulatory requirements under California POST Regulation 1955(d)(2) and the ADA framework that govern pre-employment psychological evaluation of peace officer candidates
2. Describe the bipolar externalizing framework, including the theoretical foundations established by Block and Block, as it applies to behavioral dysregulation in peace officer candidate populations
3. Differentiate between undercontrolled and overcontrolled behavioral presentations in peace officer candidates, including the historical and behavioral indicators associated with each pattern
4. Explain the empirical findings from the Corey, Sellbom, and Ben-Porath (2018) study and the Tarescavage research program regarding the relationship between MMPI-2-RF externalizing scale scores and posthire performance outcomes in law enforcement populations
5. Apply knowledge of the neurobiological substrate of behavioral dysregulation and the bipolar externalizing framework to the assessment of job-relevant behavioral patterns across multiple POST psychological screening dimensions, including Impulse Control, Emotional Regulation, and Decision-Making/Judgment

Course Outline

• 1Section 1: Regulatory and Legal Framework for Peace Officer Psychological Screening (30 minutes)
• 2 - Overview of California POST Regulation 1955 and Government Code §1031(f) requirements
• 3 - The ten psychological screening dimensions under Regulation 1955(d)(2) and their behavioral focus
• 4 - ADA conditional offer model and the behavioral manifestation standard in pre-employment evaluation
• 5 - Nilsson v. City of Mesa and the legal sustainability of job-relevant behavioral screening
• 6Section 2: Behavioral Dysregulation as the Operative Construct (35 minutes)
• 7 - Defining behavioral dysregulation in the context of peace officer pre-employment evaluation
• 8 - Neurobiological substrate of behavioral regulation and implications for evaluator interpretation of historical patterns
• 9 - Block and Block ego-control framework and the bipolar conceptualization of behavioral regulation
• 10 - Theoretical lineage from Welsh factor analytic MMPI research through Block to the contemporary externalizing construct
• 11Section 3: Empirical Literature on Personality Testing in Police Candidate Populations (45 minutes)
• 12 - Historical MMPI and MMPI-2 research establishing externalizing as a unipolar predictor of counterproductive officer behavior
• 13 - Tarescavage series predictive validity studies and the emergence of negative correlations between low externalizing scores and posthire outcomes
• 14 - Corey, Sellbom, and Ben-Porath (2018) study design, sample characteristics, and the range restriction account of contemporary candidate distributions
• 15 - Empirical findings establishing the bipolar externalizing framework and differentiation of disinhibition and antagonism subdomains
• 16 - MMPI-3 continuity with MMPI-2-RF externalizing scale structure and contemporary validation for pre-employment use
• 17Section 4: Behavioral Presentations and Historical Footprints of Undercontrolled and Overcontrolled Patterns (40 minutes)
• 18 - Undercontrolled presentation: characteristic behavioral indicators, acting-out patterns, and historical record signatures
• 19 - Overcontrolled presentation: characteristic behavioral indicators, rigidity, constraint, and the deceptive appearance of favorable self-control
• 20 - Posthire performance problems associated with each pattern across the POST psychological screening dimensions
• 21 - Etiological diversity of overcontrolled presentations including introversion, autism spectrum characteristics, trauma history, and cultural factors
• 22Section 5: Assessment Integration and Implications for Evaluator Practice (30 minutes)
• 23 - Integrating self-report, collateral information, documentary records, and psychological testing within the pre-employment assessment workflow
• 24 - Identifying undercontrolled and overcontrolled patterns across data sources and resolving discrepancies in the integrated formulation
• 25 - Implications of the bipolar externalizing framework for evaluator awareness across the ten POST psychological screening dimensions
• 26 - Clinical judgment, etiological diversity, and the evaluator's responsibility in translating empirical findings into individual candidate determinations

About the Instructor

Professional Degree & Discipline:

Psy.D.

Current Position & Expertise in Program Content:

Dr. Troy Ewing is a licensed clinical psychologist and CEO of Ewing Diagnostic & Psychological Services, Inc., a multi-site practice providing psychological and forensic assessment services across California and beyond. With over two decades of experience, Dr. Ewing specializes in pre-employment psychological evaluations, forensic assessments, and disability-related evaluations for local, state, and federal agencies. He has extensive experience working with law enforcement and government organizations, including managing large-scale psychological screening programs for correctional and public safety personnel. His expertise includes the administration and interpretation of a wide range of psychological and cognitive assessment instruments, as well as comprehensive report writing for diagnostic, eligibility, and risk-assessment purposes. n addition to his clinical and forensic work, Dr. Ewing is the founder of Mindset Continuing Education, an APA-approved provider, where he develops and delivers continuing education programs for mental health professionals. His career also includes significant experience in correctional mental health, university counseling, and crisis intervention, where he has worked with diverse populations across clinical settings. Dr. Ewing earned his Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) in Clinical Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology and is licensed in multiple states.

Conflict of Interest Disclosure

No commercial support or conflicts of interest to disclose.

Refund & Cancellation Policy

Full refund available within 7 days of purchase if course has not been started. No refund after course content has been accessed.