Part 1:
Application: Ethics and Child Custody Evaluations
Researchers have concluded that there is considerable variability in the evaluation methods of forensic psychology professionals when conducting child custody evaluations. Additionally, ethical violations by psychologists when conducting these evaluations have been frequently reported to state licensing boards.* The American Psychological Association's Guidelines for Child Custody Evaluations in Divorce Proceedings can help forensic psychology professionals perform evaluations professionally and ethically, and in the best interest of the child. However, these guidelines are aspirational in nature and do not represent mandatory standards of conduct. In this Application, you apply the Guidelines to address custody issues in a case study.
*Introduction to Forensic Psychology, page 210
To prepare for this assignment:
• Review the selected pages of Chapter 6 in Introduction to Forensic Psychology focusing on child custody standards and methods of evaluation.
• Review this week's case study. Consider the custody issues in the case study.
• Review the American Psychological Association's Guidelines for Child Custody Evaluations in Divorce Proceedings in this week's Learning
Resources. Think about how the Guidelines might help to resolve various custody issues.
• Choose three specific custody issues from the case study that you believe are most important.
• Consider how the APA Guideline(s) would address the issues you selected.
The assignment (1-2 pages):
• Briefly describe the three areas you selected.
• Explain why you believe each of these areas is a child custody issue.
• Describe which APA Guideline(s) would apply to each of the issues you chose and why.
• Explain how you might address each of these areas based on the APA Guideline(s).
Support your Application Assignment with specific references to all resources used in its preparation. You are asked to provide a reference list only for those resources not included in the Learning Resources for this course.
Part 2:
Practice Areas, Case Law, and Legal Definitions
Offering counseling services to victims of sexual harassment; evaluating the personal injury effects on individuals following automobile accidents; determining whether it is right to take someone's liberty away (involuntary civil commitment) in an attempt to prevent them from killing themselves and to provide them with needed psychological treatment - these are some of the roles of the forensic psychology professional in the civil court system. In this Discussion you review an area that falls under the civil court system, one in which forensic psychology could impact the outcome. You examine the case law/statutes and legal definitions related to the area you chose and consider what a forensic psychology professional would need to evaluate in this area and why.
To prepare for this Discussion:
• Review pages 187-188 in Introduction to Forensic Psychology. Think about the role of the forensic psychology professional in the civil court system.
• Review pages 213-226 in Introduction to Forensic Psychology. Focus on the different practice areas for the forensic psychology professional within the civil court system (sexual harassment, employment compensation, involuntary civil commitment, etc.), and the case law/statues or legal definitions that relate to these areas.
• Review the Web site, "Psychology Information Online: Forensic Psychology - Civil Court" and the Web links listed on the Web site. Think about the types of cases that a forensic psychology professional would deal with in the areas of personal injury, trauma, harassment, discrimination, workers' compensation, independent medical exams, competency evaluations - wills and guardianships, autopsy, and clinical.
• Select one of these civil case areas that most interests you.
• Reflect upon the case law/statutes and legal definitions related to this civil case area.
• Consider what a forensic psychology professional might do related to this area and why.