Kremens v. Bartley: the right to be free

The author, counsel for the children in the child-commitment case now before the Supreme Court, describes the necessity for legal protections for children prior to mental institutionalization. He maintains that frequently a child is placed in an institution not because he or she will benefit from such placement, but because it benefits his parents or eases family conflicts. He describes the dangers of institutionalization and notes the expansion of this mode of treatment for juveniles. He explains the events that led to the decision to argue for the rights of his clients to challenge their commitments, and he presents the legal arguments for granting children the same rights to due process as adults presently have.     

Child custody cases: A content analysis of evaluations in practice.

Guidelines for custody evaluations recommend multiple ways for assessing the parent-child relationship and outline appropriate means of assessing special issues such as domestic violence, child abuse, and substance use. However, little is known about the implementation of these guidelines in practice. This study examines 60% of custody evaluations in one circuit court over a 2-year period. Custody evaluations were examined for adherence to guidelines and for differences based on evaluator training. This analysis suggests much variety in techniques used and a lack of consistency between guidelines and clinical practice. The findings suggest a need for more standardized approaches to conducting custody evaluations as well as the assessment of domestic violence, child abuse, and substance abuse. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Child custody evaluations when one divorcing parent has a physical disability.

Objective: To explore how parents' physical disability status might impact the process of divorce-related child custody evaluations and custody decisions, the level of training received by psychologists regarding assessment of parents with physical disabilities, and whether psychologists recognize that testing persons with physical disabilities requires specialized knowledge. Study Design: Survey mailed in 4 waves. Participants: 206 child custody evaluators (31% response rate). Outcome Measures: A survey regarding custody evaluations, a custody questionnaire, evaluation practices, education and training regarding disability, demographics, and a question about the purpose of the study. Results: Almost 70% had performed ≥1 child custody evaluation involving a parent with a physical disability. Over 85% of participants reported no training with regard to such evaluations, and 49% reported no training regarding any disability issues. 65% stated they would use the same tests without modifications, regardless of disability status of the parent. Conclusions: Recommendations include mandated training on disability for child custody evaluators, graduate training on disability accommodations in assessment, specifying conditions when evaluating parents with disabilities, more information regarding accommodations in custody evaluations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Child adjustment in joint-custody versus sole-custody arrangements: A meta-analytic review.

The author meta-analyzed studies comparing child adjustment in joint physical or joint legal custody with sole-custody settings, including comparisons with paternal custody and intact families where possible. Children in joint physical or legal custody were better adjusted than children in sole-custody settings, but no different from those in intact families. More positive adjustment of joint-custody children held for separate comparisons of general adjustment, family relationships, self-esteem, emotional and behavioral adjustment, and divorce-specific adjustment. Joint-custody parents reported less current and past conflict than did sole-custody parents, but this did not explain the better adjustment of joint-custody children. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that joint custody can be advantageous for children in some cases, possibly by facilitating ongoing positive involvement with both parents. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Integrating individual and family therapy.

Reviews the book, Integrating individual and family therapy by Larry Feldman (see record 1992-97185-000). In this book, Larry Feldman takes the position that integration of individual and family therapy concepts and treatment is not only possible but is therapeutically preferable and more effective than individual or family therapy alone. The author maintains the importance of understanding both the intrapsychic and interpersonal variables that stimulate and reinforce the problems of the individual client. This book makes an important contribution in an area in which knowledge, experience, research and case studies are sparse but needed. His case studies were too brief to provide the detailed knowledge a clinician needs in order to learn his model. Although he presents no real data or rates of success or failure of the integration of these approaches, he has made a good beginning in outlining an important treatment approach and raising the questions needed to further develop such a model. Feldman's ideas are stimulating and will add information to the debate about the separation or the integration of individual and family therapy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Come here: A man overcomes the tragic aftermath of childhood sexual abuse.

Reviews the book, Come here: A man overcomes the tragic aftermath of childhood sexual abuse by Richard Berendzen, with Laura Palmer. Berendzen, former president of American University in Washington, D.C. was both the perpetrator and the victim of a psychosexual tragedy. This autobiography, however, focuses only on his own tragedy: his mother's sexual abuse of him. It completely ignores the tragic consequences of his own frightening, obscene phone calls which he admits making to 10-15 women who had placed ads in newspapers to provide child care. Although Berendzen states in his book that the fact that he was a victim of childhood sexual abuse does not excuse his crimes, he nonetheless repeatedly describes the terroristic phone calls as the result of a "compulsion" and "impulse." One of the women to whom Berendzen made repeated calls cooperated with the police to catch him, and his world fell apart. The rest of the book describes his resultant trials, humiliation, and grief as he faced his family, members of the American University community, the press and, briefly noted, the criminal justice system. Berendzen agonizes throughout much of this book with self-pitying, but moving, pathos over the consequences of his detection to his own life and career, as well as his family's and university's well-being. But nowhere does he agonize about the effect that terrorizing phone calls detailing child sexual abuse could have on women charged with watching children, women who may have vulnerable children themselves. This book may have been therapeutic for Berendzen, but it has left one of his victims, who says she "was doing pretty well until this came up," shaken again. Still, the book is significant and valuable, for therapists and the general public, for the lessons learned between the lines. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Parenting Assessments in Child Welfare Cases: A Practical Guide.

In this article the author provides a review of the book by Terry Pezzot-Pearce and John Pearce. The author states that this book sets out to fulfil four major goals: 1) presenting a model for comprehensive parenting assessments; 2) setting out the practical steps to be taken in such assessments; 3) identifying potential errors in carrying out assessments; and 4) providing critical considerations, identified by the authors as "practice alerts." The reviewer believes these goals are fulfilled in exhaustive fashion, thus providing a comprehensive text for those called upon to make such complex judgments. In fact, the reviewer suggests that the book could be titled a practical and theoretical guide for parenting assessments in child welfare and in consideration of custody and access decision-making. A refrain throughout the book is the reminder that the central question in parenting assessments is: Can this parent meet the needs of this particular child? Once this is understood then the complexity of the work becomes apparent. The author presents strengths, weaknesses, and a summary of the book. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Children's adjustment in joint and sole physical custody families.

Examined patterns of custody and their relationship to the behavioral-emotional and social adjustment of 93 children, ages 3–14, in divorcing families. Assessed children and their parents within 1 year after parents filed for divorce, and again 1 and 2 years later. Children in joint physical custody (38%) had more access to both parents and made slightly more transitions between parental homes. However, custody arrangements were not significantly related to child adjustment. Factors associated with child adjustment included number of children in the family, child age and gender, parental depression/anxiety at baseline, and parental conflict at 1-year follow-up. Thus, no evidence was found that joint physical custody arrangements are different from sole physical custody arrangements with regard to child adjustment postdivorce. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Family-of-origin therapy: An intergenerational approach.

Reviews the book, Family-of-origin therapy: An intergenerational approach by James L. Framo (see record 1992-97188-000). This book is a summation of the author's intergenerational approach to psychotherapy which has evolved in his 35 years of clinical practice. For his theoretical base he draws on Fairbairn's object relations theory, combined with Dicks' application of this theory to marital relationships. Framo further integrates this approach with the basic precepts of Bowen's multigenerational theory, particularly Bowen's emphasis on bypassing transferential issues by encouraging patients to connect with members of their family-of-origin. The innovative and unique aspect of Framo's psychotherapeutic approach is his use of one or two family-of-origin sessions. In the course of psychotherapy with adult clients, whether seen individually, as a couple, or in a couples group, he encourages them to bring in the members of their family-of-origin for two, two-hour sessions. The purpose is for the patient to develop the capacity and the courage to talk directly to all familial significant others about unresolved issues between them, rather than spending months or years talking to their therapist about these issues, or in analyzing the patient's transferential projections onto the therapist. Framo's thesis is that the family-of-origin consultation can have great power in producing positive change and flexibility in the individual and in the marital and family systems. He states that the intergenerational encounter can "create an opportunity for forgiveness for alleged wrongs, for mutual misunderstandings, compromise, acceptance and resolution." In this book the author clearly delineates his conceptual basis as well as providing explicit guidelines regarding the conduct of the family-of-origin sessions. The book is an important addition to the proliferating family therapy literature and a significant step toward integrating object relations and family systems theories and practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Rejoinder to Robert F. Morgan's review of psychobattery.

The present author applauds Robert F. Morgan's stated efforts in his review (see record 2007-04428-001) of the author's book, Psychobattery, (1981) to form "an ombudsman group to improve professional practice and protect the consumer." However, the present author does not approve of Morgan's inability to interpret straightforward statements in Psychobattery. He first seems to have completely missed the point that the book is about serious mental illness; essentially schizophrenia and bipolar and unipolar affective diseases. If Morgan were more interested in reviewing Psychobattery, instead of ventilating his prejudices in favour of unproved treatments by unqualified personnel, perhaps he would have mentioned the chapter of "The Biological Basis of Mental Illness." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Essentials of abnormal child psychology.

Reviews the book, "Essentials of abnormal child psychology," by Ernest Harms (see record 1954-06156-000). This is one of the most unorthodox books in the field of psychology the reviewer has seen in a long time. From the title one would expect a systematic treatment of the psychopathology of childhood; what one actually finds is a series of independent articles. Much of the material presented is intriguing because of its novelty. Harms' first major contribution to an original look at this field is the concept of paternus and materna as a substitute for Freud's infant sexuality and Oedipus. They represent the aboriginal relationship of a human child to his parents. The author also discusses childhood schizophrenia and hysteria, the burden of which is that these conditions are frequently misdiagnosed. Another "new concept" presented by Harms is that of ego inflation and ego deflation. "The most important contribution this volume makes to the field," says Harms, is the chapter on the Mignon Neurosis (a one-sided developmental pattern in which the child wants to grow up faster than he can). The work is divided into two parts, and Part II deals with Diagnostic and Therapeutic Procedures. After detailed discussion of child art as diagnostic means, we find presentations of original therapeutic approaches such as Transitional Therapy, Autogentic Therapy, and Substitution Therapy. There also are chapters on the incorrect diagnosis of feeblemindedness, education of the mentally retarded, and brief child guidance treatment. The book is original, provocative, and provoking. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Joint custody after divorce: Major issues and goals for research.

Social science research that can be translated into policy recommendations pertaining to the custody of children after divorce is meager. Giving specific attention to the debate on the advantages and disadvantages of joint custody, the authors propose multilevel/multivariable life-cycle guidelines for future child custody research. Critical issues are discussed, empirical questions raised, and salient variables examined for both the divorced family and the social system. For the divorced family, 6 classes of variables (e.g., parent–child relationships, interparental relationships, and mechanics of alternations) are discussed. For the social system, attention is given to the potential effect of formal social institutions (work settings, schools, and the legal system) and of informal social networks (kin and friends) on the postdivorce interrelationships of parents and children. The importance of examining the effects of custody arrangements in terms of a family life cycle is emphasized. The remarriage of one or both parents is used to illustrate how the effects of joint custody may be altered by anticipated changes in the life cycle of divorced parents and their children. (122 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comment on Loevinger's: "The Mother-Blaming Complex Among Psychologists".

Although the author generally agrees with the comments made by Jane Loevinger in the December 1953 American Psychologist on "The Mother-Blaming Complex among Psychologists," he feels that the article overemphasized the possible harm done to parents in child study groups. He makes further comments on the article. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Supportive therapy for borderline patients—A psychodynamic approach.

Reviews the book, Supportive therapy for borderline patients—A psychodynamic approach by Lawrence H. Rockland (see record 1992-97952-000). In this book, the author addresses the supportive psychotherapy of clients with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). While there is an abundant literature on expressive and psychoanalytic treatments for the borderline client there is very little on supportive approaches in the psychotherapy literature. Rockland offers a guide to the therapist who, after careful assessment and treatment planning, decides that a primarily supportive psychotherapy is most appropriate for his/her client, either initially or throughout the treatment. Using a practical, how-to format, Rockland applies the principles of Psychodynamically Oriented Supportive Therapy (POST)—an approach that he formulated (Rockland, 1989)—to clients with BPD. This text will assist clinicians in conceptualizing interventions that are often already part of their "supportive" repertoire but are applied in an unorganized and unsystematic fashion. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of The anatomy of psychotherapy.

Reviews the book, The anatomy of psychotherapy by Lawrence Friedman (see record 1988-97848-000). The authors' aim is to clarify the various theories of psychoanalysis from Freud to the current and to examine in depth the personal features of the analyst in the context of his/her work. With a knowledge of the entire range of psychoanalytic literature rare with most theorists or practitioners, the author reviews the philosophical developments of Freudian theory. He includes in this review some of the frictions, disputes and subtle disagreements within the classical analytic tradition. He then proceeds to describe the most significant of the contemporary deviations from classical theory (e.g., object relations, interpersonal theory, self psychology, action language) and compares and contrasts them with each other. Friedman has long been a commentator on contemporary psychoanalytic developments and he has adapted his many articles into this work. The book itself is organized into six sections, focusing on the personal and theoretical. It is well written but quite dense. Much concentration is needed. I believe that one must have an interest in psychoanalytic theory as well as a rather sophisticated appreciation of it to truly enjoy this book. It is long and detailed and I imagine difficult to get through without an intrinsic interest in the "anatomy" of psychoanalysis. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Assessment of sexual abuse allegations in child custody cases.

Family courts frequently rely on the expertise of mental health professionals to assess allegations of sexual abuse within the context of child custody evaluations. Such evaluations are complex and require knowledge of techniques used in sexual abuse and sexual offender evaluations, as well as knowledge of child custody practices. Preliminary findings from a national survey of 84 psychologists indicated that respondents tend to adhere to the child custody guidelines of the American Psychological Association. However, few practitioners followed formal models, protocols, or guidelines when evaluating alleged victims or alleged perpetrators of sexual abuse in conjunction with child custody disputes. Implications for professional practice are discussed, along with a proposed comprehensive model for assessing sexual abuse allegations in child custody cases. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Abusive supervision and family undermining as displaced aggression.

This study focuses on factors that contribute to abusive supervision, one form of nonphysical aggression, and the results of such abuse on subordinates and their family members. Using a "kick the dog" metaphor (As Marcus-Newhall, Pedersen, Carlson, and Miller (2000) state, this is a "commonly used anecdote to illustrate displaced aggression. . .a man is berated by his boss but does not retaliate because he fears losing his job. Hours later, when he arrives home to the greeting barks of his dog he responds by kicking it," p. 670), the authors investigated whether abusive supervision may be the result of a supervisor's displeasure with his or her organization. Using a sample of 210 supervisors, their subordinates, and the subordinates' family members or partners, the authors hypothesized that supervisors' reports of psychological contract violations, moderated by hostile attribution bias, would be associated with subordinates' perceptions of abusive supervision. In turn, the authors hypothesized that abused subordinates' family members would report sustained negative affect and negative evaluations directed toward them in the home. The hypotheses were supported. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Living in the shadow of the Freud family.

Reviews the book, Living in the shadow of the Freud family by Sophie Freud (see record 2007-07641-000). This book is fascinating for many reasons, not the least of which is that it is "written and edited" by Sophie Freud, Sigmund Freud's distinguished granddaughter, Professor Emerita of Social Work at Simmons College. The book will be of interest to anyone who wishes to learn more about the life and culture of the creator of psychoanalysis. The author challenges some of the assumptions made by Freud biographers, including the belief that his nursemaid stole pennies from the family, resulting in her firing and imprisonment. This book reveals the importance of writing. The author reminds us that the "psychological literature suggests that we should help old people to remember their childhood", and the book demonstrates the truth of this observation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)