These references are for an article appearing in the Family Law News of the California Lawyers Association, September 2018. It is not an exhaustive list.
The article generally reviews the strengths and weaknesses of psychological test usage in family law evaluations. It cannot be reprinted in this blog because it is under copyright. A brief description of the relevance of each reference is included.
MMPI-2
Ruth A. Baer, Underreporting of Psychopathology on the MMPI-2: A Meta-Analysis, 48 Psychological Assessment 16 (2002).
The article statistically analyzes multiple articles, including but not limited to those in which defensive responding tends to occur, such as child custody and personnel evaluations.
R. Michael Bagby et al., Defensive Responding on the MMPI-2 In Family Custody and Access Evaluations, 11 Psychological Assessment 24 (1999).
The focus is on defensive response patterns in child custody evaluation parents.
Kay Bathurst et al., Normative Data for the MMPI-2 in Child Custody Litigation, 9 Psychological Assessment 205 (1997).
The article was the first statistical analysis that examines scores for a relatively large sample of child custody evaluation parents.
JOHN R. GRAHAM, MMPI-2: ASSESSING PERSONALITY AND PSYCHOPATHOLOGY, (2012), at 207.
An excellent general book on this test. Information on empirical findings regarding the O-H scale can be found at the designated page.
DANIEL J. HYNAN, CHILD CUSTODY EVALUATION: NEW THEORETICAL APPLICATIONS AND RESEARCH (2014).
The book includes the most detailed statistical analysis of MMPI-2 scores of child custody evaluation parents of any source, and it employed the largest sample of litigants to date. It also includes detailed supplementary analyses regarding the Personality Assessment Inventory and the Parent-Child Relationship Inventory, as well as concise summaries of other frequently used measures.
Jeffrey C. Siegel et al., The MMPI-2 in High Conflict Child Custody Cases, 30 American Journal of Forensic Psychology 21 (2012).
It statistically analyzes scores of custody evaluation parents who were categorized as being in high conflict with one another.
Other
RICHARD A. ABIDIN, PARENTING STRESS INDEX, 4TH ED. (2012).
Test manual for the PSI-4.
Paul Amato, Children’s Adjustment to Divorce: Theories, Hypotheses and Empirical Support, 55 Journal of Marriage and the Family 23 (1993).
A review of multiple empirical studies on what influences children of divorce – including considerable evidence that parental psychological dysfunction that has an effect on parenting contributes to a negative impact on children.
Benjamin D. Garber & Robert A. Simon, Individual Adult Psychometric Testing and Child Custody Evaluations: If the Shoe Doesn’t Fit, Don’t Wear It, 30 Journal of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers 325 (2018).
A critique of using psychological testing in child custody evaluations.
William M. Grove et al., Clinical versus Mechanical Prediction: A Meta-Analysis, 12 Psychological Assessment 19 (2000).
An analysis of multiple empirical studies that demonstrates well-constructed psychological measures to be superior to clinical methods such as interviews in accurately identifying mental health characteristics.
William M. Grove et al., Failure of the Rorschach-Comprehensive-System-Based Testimony to be Admissible under The Daubert-Joiner-Kumho Standard, 8 Psychology, Public Policy, and Law 216 (2002).
The article demonstrates that the most scientifically constructed Rorschach procedures are not adequately accurate for legal use.
Daniel J. Hynan, Assessing Parenting in Child Custody Evaluation: Use of the Parent-Child Relationship Inventory, 5 Open Access Journal of Forensic Psychology 182 (2013).
https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/166e3f_81ff90c92d344f1aa00975906cc4881d.pdf
An empirical study reporting and analyzing test scores for child custody evaluation parents.
Daniel J. Hynan, Use of the Personality Assessment Inventory in Child Custody Evaluation. 5 Open Access Journal of Forensic Psychology 120 (2013).
https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/166e3f_026eac48d3fb42e6a83a17c04e7c71ef.pdf
An empirical study reporting and analyzing test scores for child custody evaluation parents.
DANIEL KAHNEMAN, THINKING, FAST AND SLOW (2011).
A magisterial book that includes explanation of the influence of cognitive processes such as anchoring. I strongly recommend it for anyone involved in decision making and judgment.
JOEL S. MILNER, THE CHILD ABUSE POTENTIAL INVENTORY MANUAL 2ND ED. (1986).
Test manual for the CAPI.
THEODORE MILLON et al., MILLON CLINICAL MULTIAXIAL INVENTORY-IV (2015).
Test manual for the MCMI-IV.
Douglas M. Teti et al., Supporting Parents: How Six Decades of Parenting Research Can Inform Policy and Best Practice, https://www.srcd.org/sites/default/files/documents/spr_30_5.pdf
A review that identifies parental psychological dysfunction as one of the main proximal influences that lead to parenting deficits.
