Guidelines for interviewing children during child custody evaluations

Australian Psychologist

Volumn 38, Issue 1, 2003, Pages 46-54

  Powell, Martine B ^a   Lancaster, Sandra ^b  

^a DEAKIN UNIVERSITY   (Australia)

^b MONASH UNIVERSITY   (Australia)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

EID: 0037335905     PISSN: 00050067     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1080/00050060310001707017     Document Type: Review

References (73)

1. Ackerman, M.J. (1995) Clinician's guide to child custody evaluations. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
2. Ackerman, M.J., & Ackerman, M.C. (1997). Custody evaluation practices: A survey of experienced professionals. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 28, 137-145.
3. Aldridge, M., & Wood, J. (1998). Interviewing children: A guide for child-care and forensic practitioners. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons.
4. Awad, G. (1987). The assessment of custody and access disputes in cases of sexual abuse allegations. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 32(7), 539-544.
5. Berliner, L., & Lieb, R. (2001). Child sexual abuse investigations: Testing documentation methods. Washington: Washington State Institute for Public Policy.
6. Bowlby, J. (1979). The making and breaking of affectional bonds. London: Tavistock Publications.
7. Brennan, M., & Brennan, R.E. (1990). Strange language: Child victims under cross examination (3rd ed.). Wagga Wagga: Riverina Literacy Centre.
8. Brodzinsky, D. (1993). On the use and misuse of psychological testing in child custody evaluations. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 24(2), 213-219.
9. Bushard, P. (1995). Interviewing children. In P. Bushard & D.A. Howard (Eds.), Resource guide for custody evaluators (pp. 1-13). Madison, WI: Association of Family and Conciliation Courts.
10. Byrne, K. (1989). Brainwashing in custody cases: The Parental Alienation Syndrome. Australian Family Lawyer, 4(3), 1-5.
11. Ceci, S.J., & Bruck, M. (1993). The suggestibility of the child witness: A historical review and synthesis. Psychological Bulletin, 113, 403-439.
12. Ceci, S.J., & Bruck, M. (1995). Jeopardy in the courtroom: A scientific analysis of children's testimony. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
13. Chasin, R., & Grunebaum, H. (1981). A model for evaluation in child custody disputes. American Journal of Family Therapy, 9(3), 43-49.
14. Cole, C.B., & Loftus, E. (1987). The memory of children. In S.J. Ceci, M.P. Toglia, & D.F. Ross (Eds.), Children's eyewitness memory (pp. 178-208). New York: Springer-Verlag.
15. Cooke, G., & Cooke, M. (1991). Dealing with sexual abuse allegations in the context of custody evaluations. American Journal of Forensic Psychology, 9(3), 55-67.
16. Crosby-Currie, C. (1996). Children's involvement in contested custody cases: Practices and experiences of legal and mental health professionals. Law and Human Behavior, 20(3), 289-311.
17. Crossman, A., Powell, M.B., Principe, G., & Ceci, S. (2002). Child testimony in custody cases: A review. Journal of Forensic Psychology Practice, 2(1), 1-32.
18. Dent, H.R., & Stephenson, G.M. (1979). An experimental study of the effectiveness of different techniques of interviewing child witnesses. British Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 18, 41-51.
19. Foster, H.H. (1983). Child custody and divorce: A lawyer's view. Journal of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry, 22, 392-398.
20. Gardner, R.A. (1992). The parental alienation syndrome. Cresskill, N. J.: Creative Therapeutics.
21. Gardner, R.A. (1999). Guidelines for assessing parental preference in child-custody disputes. Journal of Divorce and Remarriage, 30, 1-9.
22. Garrison, E.G. (1991). Children's competence to participate in divorce custody decisionmaking. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 20, 78-87.
23. Garwood, F. (1990). Children in conciliation: The experience of involving children in conciliation. Family and Conciliation Courts Review, 28(1), 43-51.
24. Glassman, J.B. (1998). Preventing and managing board complaints: the downside risk of custody evaluation. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 29(2), 121-124.
25. Goodman, O.S., Rudy, L., Bottoms, B.L., & Aman, C. (1990). Children's concerns and memory: Issues of ecological validity in the study of children's eyewitness testimony. In R. Fivush & J.A. Hudson (Eds.), Knowing and remembering in young children (pp. 249-284). New York: Cambridge University Press.
26. Grisso, T. (1986). Evaluating competencies. New York: Plenum.
27. Heller, J.R., & Derdeyn, A.P. (1979). Child custody consultation in abuse and neglect: A practical guide. Child Psychiatry and Human Development, 9, 171-179.
28. Hynan, D. (1998). Interviewing children in custody evaluations. Family and Conciliation Courts Review, 36(4), 466-478.
29. Kaltenborn, K. (2001). Children's and young people's experiences in various residential arrangements: A longitudinal study to evaluate criteria for custody and residence decision making. British Journal of Social work, 31(1), 81-117.
30. Karras, D., & Berry, K.K. (1985). Custody evaluations: A critical review. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 16, 76-85.
31. Kirkland, K., & Kirkland, K. (2001). Frequency of child custody evaluation complaints and related disciplinary action: A survey of the association of state and provincial psychology boards. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 32(2), 171-174.
32. Kuehnle, K. (1998). Ethics and the forensic expert: A case study of child custody involving allegations of child sexual abuse. Ethics and Behavior, 8(1), 1-18.
33. Lamb, M.E., Hershkowitz, I., Sternberg, K.J., Esplin, P.W., Hovav, M., Manor, T., et al. (1996). Effects of investigative utterance types on Israeli children's responses. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 19, 627-637.
34. Lamb, M.E. Sternberg, K.J., & Esplin, P.W., Hershkowitz, I., & Orbach, Y. (1997). Assessing the credibility of children's allegations of sexual abuse: Insights from recent research. Learning and Individual Differences, 9, 175-194.
35. Lamb, M.E., Sternberg, K.J., Orbach, Y., Hershkowitz, I., Horowitz, D. & Esplin, P. (in press). The effects of intensive training and ongoing supervision on the quality of investigative interviews with alleged sex abuse victims. Applied Developmental Science.
36. Lee, C.M., Beauregard, P.M. & Hunsley, J. (1998). Lawyers' opinions regarding child custody mediation and assessment services: Implications for psychological practice. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 29(2), 115-120.
37. Leichtman, M.D., & Ceci, S.J. (1995). The effects of stereotypes and suggestions on preschoolers' reports. Developmental Psychology, 31, 568-578.
38. MacFarlane, K., & Krebs, S. (1986). Techniques for interviewing and evidence gathering. In K. MacFarlane & J. Waterman (Eds.), Sexual abuse of young children: Evaluation and Treatment (pp. 30-51 ). New York: The Guilford Press.
39. Maloney, L (1995). Children's rights in family law disputes: Issues of process and outcome. Family Matters, 40, 4-9.
40. Maloney, L., & Byrne, K. (1993). It's really up to the children: Intractable access and the professional. Australian Family Lawyer, 8(4), 1-5.
41. McGough, L. (1994). Child witnesses: Fragile voices in the American legal system, New Haven: Yale University Press.
42. Melton, G.B., Petrila, J., Poythress, N.G., & Slobogin, C. (1997). Psychological evaluations for the courts. New York: Guilford Press.
43. Mitnick, M. (1983). Family sexual abuse and custody evaluation. Conciliation Courts Review, 21(2), 89-94.
44. Montgomery, L.M., Cupit, B.E., & Wimberly, T.K. (1999). Complaints, malpractice, and management: Professional issues and personal experiences. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 30, 402-410.
45. Moston, S. (1987). The suggestibility of children in interview studies. First Language, 7, 67-78.
46. Orbach, Y., Hershowitz, I., Lamb, M.E., Sternberg, K.J., Esplin, P.W., & Horowitz, D. (2000). Assessing the value of structured protocols for forensic interviews of alleged child abuse victims. Child Abuse & Neglect, 24(6), 733-752.
47. Oberlander, L.B. (1995). Ethical responsibilities in child custody evaluations: Implications for evaluation methodology. Ethics and Behaviour, 5(4), 311-332.
48. Poole, D.A., & Lamb, M.E. (1998). Investigative Interviews of Children. Washington DC: American Psychological Association.
49. Poole, D.A., & Lindsay, D.S. (1995). Interviewing preschoolers: Effects of non-suggestive techniques, parental coaching, and leading questions on reports of nonexperienced events. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 60, 129-154.
50. Poole, D.A., & Lindsay, D.S. (1998). Assessing the accuracy of young children's reports: Lessons from the investigation of child sexual abuse. Applied and Preventive Psychology, 7, 1-26.
51. Powell, M.B. (2002). Specialist training in investigative and evidential interviewing: Is it having any effect on the behaviour of professionals in the field? Psychiatry, Psychology and Law, 9, 44-55.
52. Powell, M.B., & Bartholomew, T. (in press). Interviewing and assessing clients from different cultural backgrounds: Guidelines for all forensic professionals. In R. Bull & D. Carson (Eds.), Handbook of psychology in legal contexts.
53. Powell, M.B., & Thomson, D.M. (1994). A review of children's eyewitness memory research and its implications for the investigatory interview. Families in Society: Journal of Contemporary Human Services, 75(4), 204-216.
54. Powell, M.B., & Thomson, D.M. (in press). The makings of a reliable interview with a child witness. Australian Educational and Developmental Psychologist.
55. Radin, S. (1984). The relationship of the parental preference guide-line to attachment behavior in young children of divorce. Journal of Psychiatry & Law, 12(4), 473-482.
56. Renouf, E. (1990). Perspectives on the involvement of dependent children in custody mediation. Australian Journal of Sex, Marriage and Family, 70(3), 107-110.
57. Roberts, K.P., & Powell, M.B. (2001). Describing individual incidents of sexual abuse: A review of research on the effects of multiple sources of information on children's reports. Child Abuse and Neglect, 25(12), 1643-1659.
58. Rosen, R. (1977). Children of divorce: What they feel about access and other aspects of the divorce experience. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 6(2), 24-27.
59. Sattler, J.M. (1998). Clinical and forensic interviewing of children and families: Guidelines for the mental health, education, pediatric, and child maltreatment fields. San Diego: Jerome M. Sattler, Publisher, Inc.
60. Schutz, B.M., Dixon, E.B., Lindenberger, J.C., & Ruther, N.J. (1989). Solomon's sword: A practical guide to conducting child custody evaluations. San Francico: Jossey-Bass.
61. Siegal, M. (1991). Concern for the conversational environment: Questioning children in custody disputes. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 22(6), 473-478.
62. Stahl, P.M. (1994). Conducting child custody evaluations: A comprehensive guide. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
63. Sternberg, K.J., Lamb, M.E., Hershkowitz, I., Yudilevicth, L., Orbach, Y., Esplin, P.W., et al. (1997). Effects of introductory style on children's abilities to describe experiences of sexual abuse. Child Abuse and Neglect, 21, 1133-1146.
64. Sternberg, K., Lamb, M. Davies, G.M., & Westcott, H.L. (in press). The memorandum of good practice: Theory versus application. Child Abuse and Neglect.
65. Thoennes, N., & Tjaden, P. (1990). The extent, nature and validity of sexual abuse allegations in custody visitation disputes. Child Abuse and Neglect, 14, 151-163.
66. Toglia, M.P., Ross, D.F., Ceci, S.J., & Hembrooke, H. (1992). The suggestibility of children's memory: A social-psychological and cognitive interpretation. In M.L. Howe, C.J. Brainerd, & V.F. Reyna (Eds.), Development of Long-term Retention (pp. 217-241). New York: Springer-Verlag.
67. Wade, A., & Westcott, H. (1997). No easy answers: Children's perspectives on investigative interviews. In H. Westcott & J. Jones, (Eds.), Perspectives on the Memorandum: Policy, practice and research in investigative interviewing. Arena: Hants.
68. Walker, A.C. (1999). Handbook on questioning children: A linguistic perspective. Washington: ABA Center on Children and the Law.
69. Wallerstein, J.S. (1991). The long term effects of divorce on children: A review. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 30, 349-360.
70. Warren, A.R., Woodall, C.E., Hunt, J.S., & Perry, N.W. (1996). "It sounds good in theory but...": Do investigative interviewers follow guidelines based on memory research? Child Maltreatment, 1(3), 231-245.
71. Wilson, J.C., & Powell, M.B. (2001). A guide to interviewing children. Sydney: Allen & Unwin.
72. Wolman, R., & Taylor, K. (1991). Psychological effects of custody disputes on children. Behavioural Sciences and the Law, 9, 399-417.
73. Woody, R.H. (1977). Behavioural science criteria in child custody determinations. Journal of Marriage and Family Counseling, 3(1), 11-18.