Complex Child Custody Evaluations: Evaluating the Alleged Incestuous Parent

Complex Child Custody Evaluations: Evaluating the Alleged Incestuous Parent

Professionals involved in child custody evaluations are sometimes confronted by the complex issue of one parent accusing the other parent of having sexually assaulted one of the children. There is scant research and theoretical literature to guide the professional in the evaluation of the alleged incestuous parent, or the attorney or judge reviewing such an evaluation. This paper describes the guiding principles of such an evaluation, how to structure the evaluation, methods used for data collection, interpretation of data, and the reasoning processes that lead to an ultimate opinion regarding the allegation. Hypothesis formation and testing is described. The form a recommendation should take given positive assessment findings and negative assessment findings is presented.

Incest, Alleged sex offender, Evaluation, Child custody