Question 1

The children of fathers who have sole custody

Accepted Answer

A)  have more problems than when raised by a single mom 
B)  have fewer problems than when raised by a single mom 
C)  have a higher potential to become delinquent 
D)  have a lower potential to become defiant in school

Question 2

The primary caretaker is defined as the

Accepted Answer

A)  female parent 
B)  person who can best support the child financially 
C)  person with most responsibility for care of the child 
D)  as the parent the child loves the most

Question 3

Courts have ruled that when parents dispute custody

Accepted Answer

A)  they put their fitness as parents at issue and so any mental health information is no longer confidential 
B)  confidentiality between a mental health professional and themselves will be honored and will not be broken by the professional 
C)  and they hire a mental health evaluator, the evaluator is obligated to defend the parents' interests "zealously within the law" 
D)  parents can refuse to cooperate with an evaluation without risk to how a judge will view the refusal to cooperate because it is their right to avoid self incrimination

Question 4

Advocates recommend joint custody because

Accepted Answer

A)  the child's social support is increased. 
B)  it provides positive role models. 
C)  allows for greater financial stability. 
D)  All of the above 
E)  A and B only.

Question 5

Mediation

Accepted Answer

A)  is a special form of adversarial litigation in front of a judge 
B)  may be an alternative to custody assessments because parties are assisted in working out their own parenting plans 
C)  may be especially useful in cases of domestic violence and when the two parents are unequal in social power 
D)  does not reduce the amount of time nor does it reduce the number of people going to court

Question 6

Fathers who wanted custody or increased visitation and met obstacles challenged the psychological assumption

Accepted Answer

A)  that a maximal amount of continuity and a minimal amount of disruption in relationships was essential for healthy child development 
B)  that children could not learn to adapt or to learn how to cope positively to differing parental styles 
C)  that having contact with two parents was detrimental to child well-being 
D)  all of the above

Question 7

When an evaluator undertakes a custody evaluation, he or she should evaluate

Accepted Answer

A)  the psychological developmental needs of the child including an assessment of the child's wishes 
B)  the parent's strengths and weaknesses as parents 
C)  the interactions and interrelations among all family members 
D)  all of the above

Question 8

Parental moves and relocation from one part of the country to another can

Accepted Answer

A)  become factors in decisions about changes in custody after custody has been settled 
B)  can become factors in the initial custody dispute because courts favor decisions that keep the parties in one jurisdiction 
C)  not become a problem in custody disputes because the court can easily choose on psychological grounds between one parent's right to move, and the other parent's right to have a relationship with the children 
D)  not become a problem because mental health professionals have worked out well validated methods to maintain relationships at a distance.

Question 9

What is joint custody? How does it impact the children in the family? What contraindications would you see to joint custody arrangements?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is joint custody? How does it...

Question 10

The possibility of a joint custody disposition to a custody dispute

Accepted Answer

A)  is strongly favored by women who see that it gives them a more favorable negotiating position about marital property 
B)  is strongly favored by advocates for battered women because they claim it gives the woman a means of controlling her abusive ex-spouse 
C)  is opposed by some men because it makes it easier for both parties to move on after a divorce 
D)  is opposed by some because the arrangement may allow men to use custody as a bargaining chip in negotiations about marital property

Question 11

In custody evaluations, the evaluator tries to discover which parent is the best fit for custody. Through this process, the evaluator

Accepted Answer

A)  remain neutral and should avoid accepting any member of the family as a client after the evaluation/communicate with one side of the family. 
B)  should pick one parent to side with before and after the evaluation. 
C)  should side with and communicate with the child only. 
D)  none of the above.

Question 12

The court hearing a divorce and custody case can award

Accepted Answer

A)  sole custody only to the parent whose relationship with the child has been legally terminated 
B)  joint custody which requires divorced parents to consult with each other about major child rearing decisions 
C)  divided custody if one parent is the psychological parent and the other does not have a good relationship with the child 
D)  custody of the child to an unrelated third party who is economically and psychologically capable of parenting the child in dispute even if the parents are not unfit

Question 13

The primary caretaker doctrine

Accepted Answer

A)  was the same as the tender years doctrine 
B)  violated the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment because it gave custody to mothers 
C)  completely ignored the importance of psychological bonding 
D)  was on its face gender neutral so fathers who had been deeply involved with their child's care could request custody

Question 14

Custody arrangements are

Accepted Answer

A)  easily arranged by the court in high conflict families 
B)  are usually worked out by the parents or with the assistance of attorneys and the court simply reviews and ratifies these arrangements 
C)  cannot be imposed by the court when the vague standards of the "best interests" results bring the parties back to court again and again 
D)  not studied very much because the outcome of custody litigation is so predictable and the law is so clear

Exam 13: Child Custody