Corresponding Author Information: James Loving
Session Abstract: This symposium will discuss a wide range of issues that confront evaluators in various Family Court contexts. Our series of presentations will range from broad topics that are encountered in all family court situations to more narrow and specialized issues. As such, we hope to be informative to attendees at all experience levels, who are interested in family court work or already seasoned in this area. James Loving will introduce the session, then discuss the pervasive and multi-layered issue of evaluator bias, especially as it presents itself in work with court-involved parents and children. Ksera Dyette will focus more specifically on unique issues that arise when assessing competency in juvenile litigants. Brian Eig and Janet Eig will discuss their ongoing work on a Structured Professional Judgment tool for use in parenting capacity evaluations, with an eye toward validating the tool and applying it to various family court situations. Alan Lee and Brian Eig will remain on the topic of parenting capacity evaluations, discussing the role of the Rorschach Inkblot Method within an assessment battery. Their presentation will include a consideration of both Comprehensive System and R-PAS, which are routinely used by Drs. Lee and Eig respectively in these evaluations. Nicole Paolillo will take on the complex issues associated with sibling sexual abuse, with a particular emphasis on assessing parents in the context of reunification planning. Dr. Lee will serve as discussant.
Chair Information: James Loving | Loving Psychological Services, LLC; Woodbury, NJ
Discussant Information: Alan Lee | Alan J. Lee & Associates, LLC; Hamilton, NJ
Presentation 1 Title: Managing Evaluator Bias in Family Court Matters
Presenters:
James Loving | Loving Psychological Services, LLC; Woodbury, NJ
Presentation 2 Title: Advancing Standards: Issues in Juvenile Competence to Stand Trial Evaluations
Presenters:
Dyette Dyette | William James College Juvenile Court Clinic; Boston, MA
Presentation 3 Title: Revisiting Structured Professional Judgment in Parenting Capacity Evaluations: A Proposal for Measurement Validation
Presenters:
Brian Eig | Alan J. Lee & Associates, LLC; Hamilton, NJ
Janet Eig | Alan J. Lee & Associates, LLC; Hamilton, NJ
Presentation 4 Title: Rorschach Contributions to Parenting Capacity Evaluations: CS and R-PAS Working Together
Presenters:
Alan Lee | Alan J. Lee & Associates, LLC; Hamilton, NJ
Brian Eig | Alan J. Lee & Associates, LLC; Hamilton, NJ
Presentation 5 Title: Parenting capacity in the context of family reunification in cases of sibling incest
Presenters:
Nicole Paolillo | Alan J. Lee & Associates, LLC; Hamilton, NJ