When completing security forms for a job offer, you may come across a section titled "Cognitive Function." This isn’t an assessment of your intelligence quotient. Rather, it’s designed to evaluate your psychological resilience to determine whether you can perform under high-responsibility conditions.
Cognitive function encompasses your capacity for rational thought, maintain situational awareness, respond appropriately under stress, 診断書 and stay focused in high-stakes scenarios. Evaluators are looking for any history of disorders that could impair your judgment in ways that might expose classified material.
For instance, repeated episodes of confusion, persistent forgetfulness beyond normal decline, or severe psychiatric conditions affecting cognition may trigger further scrutiny. These are not isolated incidents—they’re patterns that suggest systemic risk.
This section does not target everyday memory slips, normal fatigue, or routine tiredness. It’s not created to bar individuals who occasionally misplace keys. The emphasis is on persistent, documented patterns that could hinder compliance procedures.
You may be asked about emergency mental health interventions, psychiatric diagnoses, or feedback from colleagues or family. It is imperative to answer truthfully. Trying to conceal relevant information may result in permanent disqualification, regardless of the underlying condition is manageable.
Full candor is highly valued because it enables evaluators to evaluate the complete picture and determine whether stable medication regimens is in place.
A significant number of people with controlled medical conditions—including other clinically managed conditions—are granted security clearances. What matters most is whether the condition is properly controlled and does not reduce your decision-making capacity.
If you are following a prescribed plan, the evaluators typically view this positively.
The ultimate goal of this section is not to discriminate—but to protect the trustworthiness of systems that maintain critical infrastructure. It acknowledges that behavioral consistency and cognitive reliability are essential elements of overall reliability. By answering with precision and transparency, you help ensure the process functions as designed—to maintain integrity without unnecessary exclusion.