Conducting child custody evaluations : a comprehensive guide

목차 (Table of Contents)

• CONTENTS
• Preface = ⅸ
• Acknowledgments = xi
• 1. Introduction = 1
• How the Court Benefits From an Evaluation = 4
• How the Family Benefits From an Evaluation = 4
• When Evaluations Are Not Helpful or Could be Harmful = 7
• Who Is the Client/Consumer? = 7
• Evaluator Biases = 9
• Chapter Summaries = 10
• 2. The Mental Health Expert's Many Possible Roles = 13
• Therapist = 13
• Psychologist Evaluator = 15
• Mediator = 15
• Consultant to Attorneys = 16
• Expert Witness = 17
• Special Master (Mediator/Arbitrator) = 17
• Custody Evaluator = 18
• Dual Relationships = 19
• 3. Fundamental Questions in Most Custody Evaluations = 23
• The Best Interests of the Child = 24
• The Family's Bonds = 26
• Parenting Strengths and Weaknesses = 27
• The Coparental Relationship = 28
• Time-Sharing Recommendations = 29
• 4. The Children and Their Needs: A Developmental Perspective = 31
• Infancy and Toddlerhood = 32
• The Preschool Years = 35
• The Grade School Years = 38
• Adolescence = 42
• 5. Conducting the Evaluation, Part Ⅰ: Observations and Techniques With Adults = 45
• The Initial Steps = 46
• The Initial Contract = 47
• The First Appointment = 47
• What to Believe? = 50
• Collateral Information = 53
• The Use of Psychological Tests and Their Limitations = 54
• 6. Conducting the Evaluation, Part Ⅱ: Observations and Techniques With Children = 58
• Significant Issues in the Assessment of Children = 59
• Directly Assessing the Parent-Child Bond = 61
• Siblings Together, or Not? = 63
• Children and Their Language = 64
• Gathering Information About the Child's Experiences = 65
• Using Play and Other Techniques in Understanding Children = 69
• Home Visits = 70
• The Preference of the Child = 71
• Cautions in Interviewing Children = 73
• 7. Sharing the Results of the Evaluation: The Evaluation Report = 75
• Information That Must Be in Every Report = 76
• The Parents = 80
• The Children = 88
• Information From Collaterals = 92
• Summary = 93
• Recommendations = 97
• 8. Complex Issues = 105
• Issues of Violence and Abuse = 107
• Drug and Alcohol Abuse = 112
• Mental Illness = 115
• Medical Problems = 117
• Sexual Preference = 118
• Angry, Outspoken Children = 120
• Parental Alienation Syndrome = 122
• Relocation = 123
• Benefits of Longitudinal Evaluation = 125
• 9. Professional Issues = 128
• An Ethical Standard for the Evaluation Process = 130
• Working With Attorneys = 131
• Working With the Courts = 134
• Completing Reports: Who Has Access to Them? = 137
• Payment for Services = 140
• Confidentiality and the Holder of the Privilege = 142
• Testifying in Court = 143
• Ethics, Bias, and Professional Responsibility = 149
• Evaluator Immunity = 150
• Evaluator Burnout = 151
• Training and Competency of Evaluators = 153
• Conclusion = 153
• Glossary of Legal Terms = 155
• Appendixes
• 1. Sample Forms, Letters, and Court Orders = 159
• 2. Sample Questions to Ask Parents = 187
• 3. Sample Questions to Ask Children = 191
• 4. Sample Reports = 194
• 5. Psychological Tests (for Adults) and Games and Tests (for Children) = 218
• 6. Review of Evaluation Ethical Standards and Guidelines = 222
• Suggested Readings = 252
• Index = 255
• About the Author = 261