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- Title
Use and Abuse of Mental Health Experts in Child Custody Determinations.
- Authors
Bolocofsky, David N.
- Abstract
Changes in standards for child custody determinations have resulted in an increased demand for menial health professionals to serve as expert witnesses. However, the entry of mental health professionals into custody disputes has been met with harsh criticism of the value of their contributions. Critics have generally pointed to the absence of substantive requirements for who may serve as an expert mental health witness, the ambiguities inherent in the best interests standard, the weak scientific basis for psychology and psychiatry, and the questionable measurement techniques employed by mental health professionals as reasons for increased regulation of forensic mental health services. This article critically reviews these concerns and proposes a regulatory model that addresses the salient issues.
- Subjects
CUSTODY of children; TRIALS (Custody of children); EXPERT evidence; WITNESSES; FORENSIC psychiatry; PSYCHOMETRICS; PATHOLOGICAL psychology
- Publication
Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 1989, Vol 7, Issue 2, p197
- ISSN
0735-3936
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1002/bsl.2370070205