The Scientific Basis of Child Custody Decisions

by Galatzer-Levy, Robert M.; Kraus, Louis; Galatzer-Levy, Jeanne

• ISBN13: 9780470038581
• ISBN10: 0470038586
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2009-04-06
• Publisher: Wiley

Summary

The legal system requires mental health professionals to provide research summaries to support their evaluations in child custody cases. Contributions from leading developmental researchers, legal professionals, and clinicians describe how scientific evidence is properly used in court. Timely and current, this book helps evaluators access the best information to fulfill their obligations to their clients and the court. The Second Edition adds chapters on family observation, parental alienation, and sexual abuse. Forensic psychologists, family lawyers, and judges will be equipped with the most current information to aid in custody decisions.

Author Biography

ROBERT M. GALATZER-LEVY, MS, MD, is a child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist in private practice. He serves on the faculties of The University of Chicago and The Chicago Institute for Psychoanalysis. The coauthor of four books and more than a hundred professional publications, he has wide experience as a forensic evaluator and witness and has served in a leadership capacity in professional organizations. He is currently President of the Chicago Psychoanalytic Society and Secretary of the American Psychoanalytic Association.

LOUIS KRAUS, MD, is Chair and the Woman's Board Professor of the Section of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Rush University Medical Center. He has extensive experience in the interface of psychiatry and the law including consulting with the Department of Justice and significant work with youth advocacy.

JEANNE GALATZER-LEVY, MS, is a medical writer and editor. She is an Associate Director in the Office of Public Affairs at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. vii
Preface to the Second Edition	p. xi
Introduction	p. xiii
References	p. xxiv
Contributors	p. xxvii
From Empirical Findings to Custody Evaluations	p. 1
Legal and Ethical Issues in Child Custody Evaluations	p. 49
Observations of Parents, Caretakers, and Children for Child Custody Assessment	p. 71
Use of Psychological Tests in Child Custody Evaluations	p. 85
An Updated Review of the Effects of System and Estimator Variables on Child Witness Accuracy in Custody Cases	p. 125
The Importance of Attachment in Custody Evaluations: Toward the Best Interest of the Child	p. 165
Improving the Quality of Parent-Child Contact in Separating Families with Infants and Young Children: Empirical Research Foundations	p. 187
Divorce, Custody, and Visitation in Middle Childhood	p. 215
Custody Evaluations of Adolescents	p. 241
Adopted Children and Custody Arrangements	p. 253
Medically Ill Children and Adolescents	p. 263
Parental Sexual Orientation, Social Science Research, and Child Custody Decisions	p. 285
Child Custody Evaluations of Parents with Major Psychiatric Disorders	p. 307
Child Adjustment and High-Conflict Divorce	p. 353
Evaluating Child Sexual Abuse Allegations	p. 375
Rejection in Cases of Abuse or Alienation in Divorcing Families	p. 403
Joint Custody: A Judicious Choice for Families-But How, When, and Why?	p. 417
Conclusions and Prospects	p. 463
Author Index	p. 469
Subject Index	p. 487
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