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Amber Heard's psychologist Dr Dawn Hughes took the stand on Tuesday, May 3, to testify at the former's ongoing defamation trial against ex-husband Johnny Depp.
She was the first witness to be called by Heard's legal team after Depp's team rested their case following four weeks of court proceedings.
During her testimony, Hughes claimed that Amber Heard suffered from PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) as a result of IPV (intimate partner violence) inflicted during her relationship with Johnny Depp.
Hughes also mentioned that she made the diagnosis after conducting a Caps 5 test and a forensic psychological evaluation of Amber Heard by spending 29 hours with the actress to evaluate her symptoms with the help of a clinical interview.
A look into the meaning of IPV
Intimate partner violence or IPV is a term used to define any form of abuse or aggression in a romantic relationship. The term "intimate partner" can refer to both current and former spouses or romantic partners.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, IPV can range from one episode of violence with a lasting impact to chronic and multiple episodes of violence over several years.
IPV can include abuse or assault in the form of physical and s*xual violence, stalking as well as psychological aggression. The conduct might include hitting, kicking, forcing, non-consensual touching, providing repeated and unwanted attention, obsessive contact, and the usage of verbal and non-verbal communication with the intention of harming a partner mentally or emotionally.
Studies suggest that IPV is connected to other forms of violence, often related to serious health issues and economic consequences. The only way to prevent IPV or any other form of violence is to get professional help at the right time.
Understanding the meaning of CAPS 5 test
The CAPS is the gold standard test used to assess and diagnose PTSD. The CAPS-5 test is a 30-item structured interview that is used to diagnose current (past month) PTSD, lifetime PTSD, and PTSD symptoms experienced over the past week.
According to the National Center for PTSD, CAPS-5 questions the onset and duration of symptoms, impact of symptoms based on social and occupational functioning, improvement in symptoms since a previous CAPS administration, subjective distress, overall response validity, overall PTSD severity, and specifications for the dissociative subtype (depersonalization and derealization).
CAPS was initially designed to be administered on patients by clinicians and clinical researchers with a working knowledge of PTSD. However, it can also be administered by paraprofessionals who are appropriately trained. A full CAPS assessment reportedly takes 45-60 minutes to administer.
What did Dr Dawn Hughes say about Amber Heard's PTSD diagnosis?
Psychologist Dr. Dawn Hughes testified in court at the Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard's defamation trial and said that she diagnosed the latter with PTSD:
"I diagnosed Ms Heard with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder… and the cause was the intimate partner violence by Mr Depp."
Hughes claimed that she administered the CAPS-5 test on Heard and examined her for 29 hours for before concluding that the actress suffered from PTSD. She reportedly conducted the evaluation by meeting Heard over four sessions between September 2019 and January 2021.
The psychologist also told the court that she reviewed medical records, psychological records, texts, emails, audio and video recordings from the case, and spoke with Heard's therapists and mother to conclude her diagnosis.
Hughes claimed that Heard was a victim of IPV and said:
"[Amber Heard's] report of intimate partner violence is consistent with what we know about intimate partner violence, characterized by physical violence, psychological aggression, s*xual violence, coercive control and surveillance behaviors."
Hughes detailed Depp's alleged attacks on Heard and said:
"He pushed her, he shoved her, he slapped her with the front of his hand and the back of his hand, he choked her, he slammed her into the wall, he pushed her and she fell down, he kicked her in the back."
The psychologist also alleged that Depp was violent with Heard during their intimate or private moments, especially when he was "drunk or high."
However, Depp's team questioned Dr. Hughes about the alleged inconsistencies and gaps left in the CAPS 5 assessment and asked why the Aquaman star was diagnosed with PTSD even before the administration of the test.
Hughes responded that Heard had PTSD in 2019 and 2020, and continued to experience the same condition when she conducted the CAPS 5 assessment in 2021. She said that the previous diagnosis was made based on the available data which proved to be sufficient even before Amber Heard took the "gold standard" examination.
As Dr. Hughes continues to face cross-examination by Depp's team in the stands, Heard is reportedly set to testify for the first time in the trial on Wednesday, May 4.
