PRACTICE TRENDS IN DIVORCE RELATED CHILD CUSTODY

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
This article examines the critically growing problem of divorce related child custody. The lack of clear and uniform custody guidelines which should underpin custodial selection is also discussed. The concept of psychological parenthood is offered as one criterion to assist in this crucial selection process; a concept which responds to the best interest of the child as well as to the practical demands inherent in the legal system. The author describes an experimental study of interdisciplinary practice trends among judges and mental health professionals-the two major professions involved in child custody decision-making. Both disciplines were able to select a custodial psychological parent however, differences were evidenced in the criteria they used to make their selection as well as in their satisfaction with these criteria. Practice implications for both professions are discussed.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: