Child Custody Evaluation: New Theoretical Applications and Research

Each year, over one and a half million children experience the divorce of their parents. The goal of this book is to contribute to the advancement of knowledge regarding children of divorce, especially the practice of evaluation as it pertains to child custody. The reality of custody evaluation work invokes a plethora of specific circumstances regarding each family that must be taken into consideration. To work towards this goal, the author integrates scientific findings, relevant theory, and professional experience in a manner that is conceptually sound and useful in practice. Each chapter begins with a Practice Checklist to emphasize what is needed to engage in careful deliberation. Major topics include: applications of game theory to child custody; uncertainty in judgment from Nobel Prize-winning research; time sharing; collecting information from parents and collaterals; observing parental interaction with children; parental alienation; research on strategic behavior in divorce disputes; and gatekeeping. In addition, domestic violence, child abuse, substance abuse, relocation, report writing, ethics, guidelines, risk management, and practice improvement are discussed. This book also contains important new research on the PAI, PCRI, and MMPI-2 specific to child custody evaluation. This well-written text is an excellent resource for domestic relations attorneys, judges, family counselors, child protection workers, human services, advocates, and mental health professionals.