Current and new developments in psychological testing for child custody disputes

Abstract

Child custody evaluations (CCE) or parenting plan assessments (PPA) are conducted in an adversarial forensic context. The use of psychological testing in these assessments can exacerbate extreme adversarial positions, not only during cross-examination of psychologists in the courtroom but in our professional journals. Normally, psychological research, clinical theory, and practice lead to a systematic rapprochement of principles and practice as the result of replication in evidence-based research. Forensic risk assessments, described later in this chapter, have established credibility and acceptance in criminal court proceedings. Risk-assessment measures have acquired this status because of extensive research support for their specific forensic purpose.