Child custody evaluators commonly find themselves confronted with resistance when they attempt to use the term parental alienation syndrome (PAS) in courts of law. The purpose of this article is to elucidate the reasons for the reluctance to use the PAS diagnosis and the applicability of parental alienation, as well as current DSM-IV substitute…

Examined coparenting among nearly 1,000 divorcing families approximately 18 months after parental separation. Compared three patterns of de facto residential custody (children living with mother, with father, or having dual residence). Amount of conflict in coparenting was related to intensity of earlier interparental hostility. (Author/NB)

Reviews four child custody cases in which reports of peer reviewers differed from those of psychologists and psychiatrists involved in the cases. Included are five reasons for judging reports as substandard. (RJC)

Familiarizes family professionals with how family law has been applied to stepfamilies and discusses how social science research findings may assist in process of legal reform. Reviews family law in areas of stepparents' financial support of stepchildren and stepparent custody and visitation following termination of remarriage. Makes tentative…

Contends that counselors and teachers can promote children's rights to nurturance and self-determination by encouraging parents to respect children's desire to live with both parents after divorce. Attempts to increase awareness among teachers and counselors that children as persons, rather than property, have specific rights in relation to…

Used data from National Longitudinal Survey of Youth to examine whether effects of nonresident father involvement on child well-being varied by race, mother's education, or whether child was born within or outside marriage. Results showed few interactive effects and no identifiable set of conditions emerged that increased or reduced importance of…

Examined child-related, postdivorce litigation in families with young children by reviewing legal records of 700 divorced couples without children and 700 couples with young children. Data revealed high relitigation rate, particularly among parents. Support issues were relitigated more frequently than were visitation and custody issues. (Author/NB)

Examined effects of adult children's divorce on their relationships with parents, using local probability sample of 905 parents. In general, divorced daughters with child custody had more contact than married daughters and received more help from parents. Sons received more babysitting help when they were married than in other situations. Divorce…

Used data from 212 divorced fathers to investigate relationships between frequency of father-child contact, visitation quality, and child support payment. Found that fathers who saw their children frequently tended to live nearby, reported higher levels of father-child closeness before divorce, and were more likely to have joint custody. Found…

Modification of traditional family therapy approaches are warranted if there is to be any chance of success in the treatment of Parental Alienation Syndrome families. Especially important is the full support of the court. Describes the special family therapeutic techniques warranted in the treatment of families in which the Parental Alienation…

Several studies have explored levels and sources of support for rehabilitation and custody among correctional workers. However, the vast majority of this type of research has been conducted in adult facilities, and there are few existing studies that use samples of juvenile correctional workers. To help address this gap in the literature, we use a…

This handbook is designed to help women facing child custody disputes during or after divorce. To assist attorneys, citations to cases and statutes are included. Because this handbook is intended for distribution in the Washington, D.C. area, relevant laws and practices of the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia are given. Custody…

This document presents witness testimonies and prepared statements from the Senate hearing on parental kidnapping and child support. Opening statements are included from Senators Arlen Specter and Mich McConnell. Rebecca Hickman testifies about her experience when her daughter was abducted by the noncustodial father and taken to Iran. Hickman asks…

This information memorandum of the Wisconsin Legislative Council describes two pieces of state legislation: 1987 Wisconsin Act 355, which revises the laws relating to child custody determinations in actions affecting the family, and 1987 Wisconsin Act 364, which clarifies and revises the initial applicability provisions in Act 355. Part I of the…

This document contains witnesses' testimonies and prepared statements from the Congressional hearing called to consider enactment of H.R. 2673, a bill to facilitate implementation of the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. The text of H.R. 2673 is included in the document as is the text of H.R. 3971, a bill…