Child Custody Evaluation
The assessment of child custody is one of the most complex, challenging, and professionally risky areas of forensic evaluation. The vast majority of other types of forensic referrals address relatively specific, well-formulated psycho legal issues. Often, assessments involve evaluating only one person (e.g., a personal injury litigant, a defendant for whom trial competence is an issue, a victim of rape), but custody assessments require assessing multiple parties, each individually and in various combinations (e.g., each child, each parent, child and stepparents, child and stepsiblings). The standard “best interests of the child” is somewhat more complex and vague than other psycho legal criteria, requiring a multi focused approach to the overall assessment process (e.g., mental heath of each parent, needs of the child, attitudes, interests of the parents). Because the stakes are high in a custody case, at least one parent is apt to be angry or resentful of the outcome; consequently, ethics complaints against forensic psychologists involved in this area of assessment are more frequent than in any other facet of consultation (APA Ethics Committee, 2001). In the chapter by Randy Otto, Jacqueline Buffington, and John Edens in this volume, they review judges’ and attorneys’ perceptions of the value of child custody assessments. They describe the legal standards for the determination of custody in the United States and review child custody evaluation guidelines developed by professional organizations. The evaluation process is described, including the value and use of traditional psychological tests and forensic assessment instruments available for this purpose. Otto, Buffington, and Edens discuss research related to child custody evaluations and decision making, including the effects of divorce on children. The nature of reports and testimony is considered as well.
The assessment of child custody is one of the most complex, challenging, and professionally risky areas of forensic evaluation. The vast majority of other types of forensic referrals address relatively specific, well-formulated psycho legal issues. Often, assessments involve evaluating only one person (e.g., a personal injury litigant, a defendant for whom trial competence is an issue, a victim of rape), but custody assessments require assessing multiple parties, each individually and in various combinations (e.g., each child, each parent, child and stepparents, child and stepsiblings). The standard “best interests of the child” is somewhat more complex and vague than other psycho legal criteria, requiring a multi focused approach to the overall assessment process (e.g., mental heath of each parent, needs of the child, attitudes, interests of the parents). Because the stakes are high in a custody case, at least one parent is apt to be angry or resentful of the outcome; consequently, ethics complaints against forensic psychologists involved in this area of assessment are more frequent than in any other facet of consultation (APA Ethics Committee, 2001). In the chapter by Randy Otto, Jacqueline Buffington, and John Edens in this volume, they review judges’ and attorneys’ perceptions of the value of child custody assessments. They describe the legal standards for the determination of custody in the United States and review child custody evaluation guidelines developed by professional organizations. The evaluation process is described, including the value and use of traditional psychological tests and forensic assessment instruments available for this purpose. Otto, Buffington, and Edens discuss research related to child custody evaluations and decision making, including the effects of divorce on children. The nature of reports and testimony is considered as well.
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