Art and Science of Child Custody Evaluations (eBook)

Jonathan W. Gould, PhD, ABPP, practices forensic psychology with a specialization in issues related to family law, including child custody, and is board certified in forensic psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology. He performs court-appointed custody evaluations and consults with attorneys and psychologists in the areas of child custody, Child Protective Services evaluations such as termination of parental rights, and professional ethics and standards. Dr. Gould also consults with attorneys in the areas of criminal child sexual abuse and other forms of child maltreatment. David A. Martindale, PhD, ABPP, is board certified in forensic psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology. He performed court-appointed custody evaluations for 16 years in New York state and served as the Reporter for the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts’ Model Standards for Child Custody Evaluation. Dr. Martindale’s practice is now limited to consulting with attorneys, psychologists, and psychology licensing boards in the areas of child custody and professional ethics and standards.

I. Child Custody Evaluations and the Best Interests of the Child1. Introduction2. The Best Interests of the Child StandardII. The Art of Child Custody Evaluations3. Ethics and Methods4. Minimizing and Correcting for Bias5. Increasing the Reliability and Relevance of Child Custody Evaluations6. Interviewing Children7. Children's VoicesIII. The Science of Child Custody Evaluations: Factors to Assess in Child Custody Evaluations8. Assessment of Child Developmental Factors9. Assessment of Parent Factors10. Assessment of Family FactorsIV. The Art and Science of Child Custody Evaluations: Assessing Allegations of Maltreatment11. Assessing Allegations of Child Sexual Abuse12. Assessing Allegations of Domestic Violence13. Assessing Allegations of Child Alienation14. Another Call for HumilityAppendix: Sample Statements of Understanding and Letters