Child custody cases: A content analysis of evaluations in practice.

Abstract

Guidelines for custody evaluations recommend multiple ways for assessing the parent-child relationship and outline appropriate means of assessing special issues such as domestic violence, child abuse, and substance use. However, little is known about the implementation of these guidelines in practice. This study examines 60% of custody evaluations in one circuit court over a 2-year period. Custody evaluations were examined for adherence to guidelines and for differences based on evaluator training. This analysis suggests much variety in techniques used and a lack of consistency between guidelines and clinical practice. The findings suggest a need for more standardized approaches to conducting custody evaluations as well as the assessment of domestic violence, child abuse, and substance abuse.

Psychological and Legal Considerations in Reviewing the Work Product of a Colleague in Child Custody Evaluations

“…One of Bow's surveys examined the quality of custody reports (Bow & Quinnell, 2002) and another surveyed the concerns of lawyers and judges about custody evaluations and evaluators (Bow & Quinnell, 2004). Another study, using a small sample of convenience, studied the forensic quality of the reports and evaluations (Horvath, Logan, & Walker, 2002). Kelly and Ramsey (2008) recently called for research on the effectiveness of custody evaluations or a cost=benefit analysis of what evaluations really provide in light of their use of court and financial resources.…”

Review of Empirical Research on Child Custody Practice

“…Finally, half of the reports indicated that a parent-child observation had occurred, but did not provide any information about the observation. Horvath, Logan, and Walker (2002) also conducted an analysis of child custody reports, reviewing 82 cases. However, the sample only involved cases from one Circuit Court in a Midwestern state, which represented a middle-class, urban, mostly Caucasian population.…”

“…These professionals have seriously questioned the adequacy of research 24 JOURNAL OF CHILD CUSTODY supporting child custody determinations, the role of the evaluator, and the appropriateness of addressing the ultimate issue. The present article reviews the empirical research concerning child custody practice, including the following studies: Ackerman and Ackerman (1997); Ackerman, Ackerman, Steffen, and Kelley-Poulos (2004); Bow and Quinnell (2001, 2004; Bow, Quinnell, Zaroff, and Assemany (2002); Bow and Boxer (2003); Gourley and Stolberg (2000); Horvath, Logan, and Walker (2002); Keilin and Bloom (1986); LaFortune (1997); LaFortune and Carpenter (1998); and Quinnell and Bow (2001).…”

Rethinking Custody Evaluation in Cases Involving Domestic Violence

“…Gould et al (2007) report these findings as if they reflected actual practice; a number of studies suggest otherwise. Research in Kentucky found domestic violence was not only overlooked by evaluators as a general rule, but that it played no role in recommendations even when it was mentioned in their reports (Horvath, Logan, & Walker, 2002). Moreover, studies in both Kentucky and California found that domestic violence couples were as likely as those without such allegations to be steered into mediation and that mediators held joint sessions in nearly half of the cases where domestic violence was substantiated in an independent interview, even though this was against the regulations (Hirst, 2002).…”