Robert A. Leark, PhD

Specialties and Interests

• Criminal cases, specialty in death penalty cases
• Neuropsychology (brain-behavior relationships) including neurofibromatosis,disorders of attention, executive functioning and impulse control
• Development of psychological and neuropsychological tests: test construction

Courses Taught

• Assessment & Issues related to death penalty consultation (FOR8410 – Elective
• Psychologist as Expert Witness (FOR8410 – Elective)
• Examination & Cross-Examination in the Court Room (FOR8410 – Elective)
• Introduction to Neuropsychology (FOR8410 – Elective)
• Research I (FOR6510) and Research II (FOR6520)
• Biological Bases of Behavior (FOR7220)
• Research I and II: Design and Statistics (FOR6510 & FOR6520)
• Death Penalty: Issues and Assessment (FOR8410)
• Biological Bases of Behavior (FOR7220)

Research: Publications

• Leark, R.A., Greenberg, L., Dupuy, T.R. (2006). Test of Variables of Attention  Professional Manual-Revised. Los Alamitos, CA: The TOVA Company.
• Leark, R.A. (2005). Test review of the Evaluation of Competency to Stand Trial.
   Buros16th Mental Measurements Yearbook (R. A. Spies & R.Plake, Editors). Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press.pp 370-373.
• Leark, R.A., Wallace, D., Fitzgerald, R.(2004). Temporal stability and standard error of measurements for the Test of Variables of Attention with Healthy School-Aged Children. Assessment,11(4), 285-289.
• Leark, R.A., Charlton, D., Fitzgerald, R. (2004). Test-Retest Reliability and Standard Error of Measurements for the Test of Variables of Attention (TOVA). Assessment,11(4)285-289.
• Leark, R. A. & Price, J.R. (2004). The Psychologist as Expert Witness, by T.H. Blau in International Journal of Forensic Psychology. Book Review Issue 1.
• Leark, R. A. (2003). Luria-Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery: Children’s Revision. In G. Goldstein and S. Beers (Eds.) Intellectual and Neuropsychological Assessment. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
• Leark, R.A.(2003). Test review of the Boston Qualitative Scoring System for the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure. Buros 15th Mental Measurements Yearbook (R. A. Spies, & R. Plake, Editors). Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press. Pp. 133-136.
• Leark, R. A. (2003). Test review of the Computer Category Test. Buros 15th Mental Measurements Yearbook. Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press. Pp.234-236.
• Leark, R.A., Dixon, D., Hoffman, T., & Huynh, D. (2002). Fake bad test response bias effects on the test of variables of attention. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology,17, 335-342.

Research: Presentations (Student based)

• Mintz, S. & Leark, R.A. (2007) Executive Functioning of Domestic Violence Offenders. Poster paper accepted for presentation at the International Neuropsychological  Society Winter Meeting, Portland. OR. February.
• Kuechle, R., Harrington, D., Novelli, N., & Leark, R.A. (2006). An exploratory study of an educationally based cognitive retraining program: Assessment of individuals  with acquired brain injury. Poster paper presentation at the National Academy of  Neuropsychology, 26th Annual Conference. San Antonio, TX. October.
• Pizzonia, T. & Leark, R.A. (2006). Standards for juvenile competency to stand trial: Comparison of Florida Judges, Prosecutors, Public Defenders & Forensic Psychologists. International Association of Forensic Mental Health Services. Amsterdam, Netherlands. June.
• Lippman, K. & Leark, R.A. (2006) A Retrospective analysis of relationships among nature of crime, community mental health service history and recidivism among incarcerated individuals with substance related disorders. Paper presentation at the  American College of Forensic Psychology Annual Meeting. March 2006, San Francisco.
• Pizzonia, T. & Leark, R.A. (2006) Assessing developmental maturity in juvenile competency to stand trial examinations. Poster paper presentation at the American Psychology-Law society Annual Conference, St. Petersburg, Fl. March.
• Leark, R.A., Mintz, S., Toth, C., Couto, D. (2006). Standards for evaluating mental retardation: Initial data from a nationwide survey of forensic psychologists. Poster paper presentation at the American Psychology-Law society Annual Conference, St. Petersburg, Fl. March.
• Warner, D., Barnes, A., & Leark, R.A. (2005).  A Preliminary Analysis of Attorney Facial Expression. Paper presentation at the American Psychology Association Annual Conference. Washington, D.C.
• Trimble, J. & Leark, R.A.(2005). Validation of Variable Response and Variable Response Inconsistency Scale for the Jesness Inventory-Revised Using a Normative Sample. Paper presentation at the American Psychology-Law Society Annual Conference, La Jolla, CA
• Leark, R.A., Huebner, R. & Couto, D. (2005). Derivation of the True Response Inconsistency Scale (TRIN) for the Jesness Inventory-Revised. Paper presentation at the American Psychology-Law Society Annual Conference, La Jolla, CA.
• Barnes, A., Jones-Chamber, M. & Leark,RA.(2005).  Patterns of Female Juvenile Delinquency in Los Angeles County. Paper presentation at the American Psychology-Law Society Annual Conference, La Jolla, CA
• Leversedge, J., Luallin, T. & Leark, R.A. (2004). Crossvalidation the RIAS Verbal g. Poster paper presented at the American Psychology Association Annual Meeting, Honolulu, HI. August.
• Leark, R.A., Huebner, R., Trimble, J., Mintz, S. & Barnes. A. (2004). Validitation of the Common Items Scale for the Jesness Inventory-Revised. Paper to be presented at the 4th Annual Conference for the International Association of Forensic Mental Health. Stockholm, Sweden. June 6-9.
• Mautner, V.F., Gronosky, M., Leark, R.A. (2004). Characterization of ADHD symptoms in Mild Mentally Retarded NF1 Children. Poster presentation at the NNFF International Consortium for the Molecular Biology of NF1, NF2 and Schawannomatosis. Aspen, CO. June.
• Leark, R.A., Huebner, R., & Trimble, J. (2004). Development of the Common Item Scale for the Jesness Inventory-Revised:Initial Analysis. Paper presentation at the American Psychology-Law Society Annual Conference. Scottsdale, AZ. March.

Professional Activities

• Elected to Board of Directors of the National Academy of Neuropsychology
• Journal Editoral Board: Journal of Forensic Psychology
• Journal Reviewer: Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, Applied Neuropsychology & Neuropsychology Review
• Test Reviewer: Buros Institute of Mental Measurements
• Conference Program Reviewer, American Psychology-Law Society (2005 to current) 

Degrees, Professional Licenses, Certifications, and Honors

• PhD in Psychology, United States International University, San Diego, June 1982
• Post-Doctoral Fellow in Clinical Neuropsychology, University of Nebraska College of Medicine, Nebraska Psychiatric Institute 1982
• Orange County Psychological Association Orange Psi Award for Outstanding Leadership and Distinguished Contribution to the Profession of Psychology, 2000.
• Licensed Psychologist (State of California)

Professional and Honorary Memberships

• Fellow, National Academy of Neuropsychology
• Member, International Neuropsychological Society
• Member, American Psychological Association, Divisions 40 (Neuropsychology) & 41 (Psychology & Law)