NCJ Number
227683
Journal
Journal of Forensic Psychology Practice Volume: 9 Issue: 2 Dated: April-June 2009 Pages: 127-137
Date Published
June 2009
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This study explored how psychologists developed and managed their child custody practices.
Abstract
When asked why they entered this area of practice, the most common response from psychologists was that child custody work was an extension of other forensic work. Other reasons included: unsolicited referrals from attorneys, outgrowth of child/adolescent work, interests in divorce work, employment by the court, specialty area of a colleague or supervisor, and shortage of professionals doing such evaluations. The findings reaffirmed previous research on training in the child custody field. Workshops, seminars, and reading articles and books were found to be the most common forms of training, whereas graduate training was much less common. Respondents reported satisfaction in conducting child custody evaluations but also saw it as a stressful and high-risk type of practice, as evidenced by the high number of licensing board, ethics, and malpractice complaints reported. The purpose of this study was to explore how psychologists develop a child custody practice, the type of training obtained prior to beginning this type of practice, reasons for pursuing this forensic practice, type of referral base, and initial percentage of practice devoted to child custody evaluations and how it has changed over time. Respondents were asked about other types of psychological work performed, stress and satisfaction with conduction child custody evaluations, and the frequency and outcome of board and ethics complaints and lawsuits. Table and references