Deck 9: Child Custody and Related Decisions

Question 1

Describe the best interests of the child standard.

Answer 1

no answer

Question 2

Describe and evaluate four psychological tests and scales used in a child-custody evaluation.

Answer 2

no answer

Question 3

Why don't judges consult psychologists more often when they have to make child-custody decisions?

Answer 3

no answer

Question 4

What is NOT a quality that forensic psychologists have identified as something that will increase the risk of abduction?

A)Parents with strong ties to their children
B)Parents who view the other parent as incompetent
C)Parents with a distrust of the courts
D)Parents with a history of other criminal activity

Question 5

Do judges want ultimate-opinion testimony from psychologists in custody-determination cases?

Question 6

How many abductions of children,by one of their parents,occur in the United States annually?

A)2,500
B)33,400
C)203,900
D)654,200

Question 7

What are some of the guidelines used by a forensic psychologist in a comprehensive evaluation for child custody?

Question 8

What does a psychologist do when he or she is appointed by the court as an evaluator with respect to child custody?

Question 9

What roles can psychologists play when a couple with children decides to seek a divorce?

Question 10

Acting as evaluation researchers,psychologists have studied two topics relevant todivorce and children.Describe them.

Question 11

According to the Uniform Marriage and Divorce Act,what are the factors a judge may consider in reaching a custody decision?

Question 12

Judges have given advice to psychologists testifying as expert witnesses after doing child-custody evaluations.What are some examples of specific advice given?

Question 13

What is the difference between legal custody and physical custody?

Question 14

A psychologist doing a child-custody evaluation has,in effect,three types of clients.Who are they?

Question 15

Describe the facts and the decision in the case of Painter v.Bannister.This decision was rendered in 1966;would the same decision likely be made today?

Question 16

Define dual relationship.Provide examples.

Question 17

What court decisions have been relevant to custody determinations in mixed-race cases or cases involving a homosexual parent?

Question 18

What is the tender-years doctrine? Is it still in favor?

Question 19

Describe the procedures used by a forensic psychologist in a comprehensive evaluation for child custody.

Question 20

What is meant by joint custody?

Question 21

The right to make major decisions about a child's life refers to

A)physical custody.
B)sanctioned custody.
C)legal custody.
D)physical custody

Question 22

When a non-White child is adopted by a White family,the non-White child's racial identity or awareness

A)is unharmed.
B)is White.
C)becomes confused.
D)is nonexistent.

Question 23

Custody is contested in ________ of divorces.

A)almost all
B)a majority
C)about half
D)a minority

Question 24

Until the early 1900s,the member of the family who had the legal right to determine the custody of the child,in a divorce,was

A)the child himself or herself.
B)the mother.
C)the father.
D)the state.

Question 25

Which of these is NOT a type of client for the psychologist who does child-custody evaluations?

A)Society in general
B)The child or children
C)The parents
D)The judge

Question 26

There is a move toward more compulsory mediation of custody disputes mainly because it

A)results in better adjustment of children post-divorce.
B)reduces the workload of the courts.
C)decreases the association between parental and child problems.
D)allows the mediator to advocate for the less powerful spouse.

Question 27

In a child custody evaluation,clinical psychologists are expected to

A)diagnose any disorder the child might have.
B)diagnose any disorder the parents might have.
C)determine what is in the best interest of the child.
D)determine the preferences of the child.

Question 28

A joint custody arrangement is

A)always better for the child.
B)never better for the child.
C)best if voluntarily chosen.
D)best if mandated by the court.

Question 29

How often,when judges have to make a decision about child custody in a divorce,do they consult a psychologist for an evaluation?

A)Never
B)Rarely
C)Frequently
D)In almost every case

Question 30

What is NOT an advantage of mediation?

A)Psychologists are more often consulted.
B)The proceedings are usually confidential.
C)Participants are more satisfied with the process.
D)Cases are settled more quickly.

Question 31

In the tender-years doctrine,who is considered to be the "natural custodian of a child of tender years"?

A)The father
B)The mother
C)The grandmother (mother's mother)
D)The state

Question 32

In Virginia,a 1985 state law proclaimed that

A)homosexual parents are inadequate.
B)homosexuality is a disease.
C)homosexuality is a valid reason for losing custody.
D)homosexuals could not adopt children.

Question 33

According to the Uniform Marriage and Divorce Act, what are the factors a judge may consider in reaching a custody decision?

Question 34

The decision in the Painter v.Bannister case illustrates

A)an application of the tender-years doctrine.
B)the empirical basis for a custody decision.
C)the discretion that judges have in evaluating the parents' acceptability for custody.
D)a typical custody decision,as a result of two parents getting divorced.

Question 35

When did the standard of the best interests of the child come to the forefront,in child custody decisions?

A)Around 1900
B)Right after World War I
C)Around 1950
D)Around 1970

Question 36

Judges who deny parental rights to a homosexual parent may believe

A)homosexuality is associated with a mental illness.
B)children reared by homosexual parents will have an unclear gender identity.
C)children reared by homosexual parents are more likely to become homosexual themselves.
D)All of the above

Question 37

When a psychologist gives a recommendation on the best custody arrangement,they are acting as a

A)mediator.
B)fact witness.
C)court-appointed evaluator.
D)advocate.

Question 38

With regard to the custody of a child who has a homosexual parent,

A)all states now have laws that homosexual parents must be treated the same as heterosexual parents.
B)in the Bottoms case,a psychologist testified that children would suffer from growing up in a family in which the care givers were homosexual.
C)most states have laws that homosexuality,in and of itself,is not a reason to deny custody.
D)an increasing number of lesbian mothers are being given custody by the courts.

Question 39

If a psychologist who acted as a couple's marriage counselor advised the judge on custody when the couple divorced,they would have

A)served as a mediator.
B)a dual relationship.
C)broken the law.
D)served the best interests of the child.

Question 40

Currently,the preferences of the child in a custody dispute

A)is given no weight.
B)is the biggest determining factor in the decision.
C)is sometimes considered.
D)is only considered if the child is over 13.

Question 41

Which of the following is the most frequently administered test to parents as part of a child-custody evaluation?

A)Rorschach Inkblot Technique
B)Millon Inventories
C)MMPI-2
D)Bricklin Scales

Question 42

The principle of confidentiality between client and psychologist,in child custody evaluations is applicable to

A)both minors and adults.
B)minors,but not adults.
C)adults,but not minors.
D)neither minors nor adults.

Question 43

A comprehensive procedure that uses testing,observation,and interviewers with each parent and child,as part of custody evaluation is the

A)Ackerman-Schoendorf Scales for Parent Evaluation of Custody.
B)Parent-Child Relationship Inventory.
C)Parenting Stress Index.
D)Parenting Satisfaction Scale.

Question 44

Which of the following was NOT listed in Chapter 9 as a factor that is important for joint custody?

A)Empathizing between parents
B)Trust between parents
C)Cooperation between parents
D)Motivation to provide continued access to the other parent

Question 45

Which of the following is NOT a limitation of the scales used to assess parents in custody evaluations?

A)Use of leading questions
B)Frequent absence of norms
C)Lack of evidence of validity or reliability
D)Reduction of complex concepts into narrow behavior samples

Question 46

The purpose of the ______________ is to assess the type and severity of stresses associated with the child-rearing role.

A)Ackerman-Schoendorf Scales for Parent Evaluation of Custody
B)Parent-Child Relationship Inventory
C)Parenting Stress Index
D)Parenting Satisfaction Scale

Question 47

In child-custody evaluations,observing a child interacting with his or her parent is

A)not useful because parents are on their best behavior.
B)often helpful.
C)not admissible in court.
D)very rarely relied on by experienced evaluators.

Question 48

In some states,joint custody has become the judicial determination in as many as ______ of the cases.

A)90%
B)80%
C)70%
D)60%

Question 49

Psychologists in the area of child custody issues generally provide information on

A)the effects of divorce on children.
B)statistical studies of gender roles and parenting.
C)the effects of court battles on children.
D)how the parents can work through the custody battle.

Question 50

The statement,"I wish I did not become so impatient with my children" is from which of the following scales?

A)Ackerman-Schoendorf Scales for Parent Evaluation of Custody
B)Parent-Child Relationship Inventory
C)Parenting Stress Index
D)Parenting Satisfaction Scale

Question 51

Psychologists testifying in child custody cases should

A)reflect objectivity.
B)stick to one side or the other.
C)not provide an "expert opinion".
D)merely assist the lawyers.

Question 52

Which subscale of the Ackerman-Schoendorf Scales for Parent Evaluation of Custody measures the quality of interpersonal relationships in the family?

A)The Cognitive-Emotional subscale.
B)The Social Scale.
C)The Observational Scale.
D)The Parenting Satisfaction Scale.

Question 53

In a 15-year longitudinal study of children from divorced families,about ________ of the females experienced a "sleeper-effect" - feeling fine about thesituation until they entered young adulthood.

A)1/3
B)1/2
C)2/3
D)3/5

Question 54

Which of the following is NOT a common step in the child custody evaluation process?

A)Parent's description of the marital relationship
B)Parent's current dating status
C)Parent's current working arrangements
D)Child's preference regarding living arrangements.

Question 55

Joint custody

A)is the same as shared physical custody.
B)means the child lives with each parent an equal amount of the time.
C)means the parents split financial responsibility of the child equally.
D)differs widely from state to state.

Question 56

For joint custody to work beneficially for children,parents must

A)be able to empathize with the child.
B)trust the other parent's parenting skills.
C)separate their own feelings about the other parent from the child's needs.
D)all of the above