G. Andrew H. Benjamin

This book presents a straightforward, step-by-step protocol for mental health professionals who evaluate child custody cases. Child custody disputes are complicated. For psychologists and others starting their careers in forensic custody assessments, the multitude of legal, ethical, and clinical issues can be daunting, and the risk of causing emotional injury is real. This book explains the complex judicial and legal requirements of child custody evaluations. The authors review the legal evidentiary standards that pertain to psychological testing, scientific evidence, and the expert witness testimony used in the court system. Most importantly, they present a clear, step-by-step evaluation protocol that has been used successfully in thousands of cases for over fifteen years, and has been demonstrated to minimize the risk of suits or complaints. Useful for novice and seasoned evaluators alike, this new edition adheres to updated principles of procedural justice, and reflects the latest in standards of fairness, objectivity, and transparency.

"I thing that one of the great strengths of this book is its 'real-life' cases for the students to examine from multiple perspectives." -Sherry Dingman, Marist College"This book approaches ethics from a unique perspective that appeals to students. In addition to providing stimulating cases, it provides the framework and legal background important to psychologists-in-training. Amazing work!...The vignette approach makes the book much more interesting than its competitors." -Misty Ginicola, Southern Connecticut State University Full coverage of the American Psychological Association's (APA) Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct and engaging vignettes to draw students into Ethics for Psychologists, a unique textbook that explores the standards of conduct in the field of psychology from key perspectives, including the multicultural, moral, and legal perspectives. Focusing on complex ethical dilemmas students may encounter in real life, this book offers a variety of frameworks through which to examine such dilemmas, as well as commentaries about the dictates of our personal codes of ethics. Students are challenged to take control of their learning experience by moving beyond the basics of looking up each situation to find "the right thing to do," into a more active and engaged approach with the goal of becoming ethical thinkers and informed decision-makers.

New in paperback. This book presents a straightforward, step-by-step protocol for mental health professionals who evaluate child custody cases. Child custody disputes are complicated. For psychologists and others starting their careers in forensic custody assessments, the multitude of legal, ethical, and clinical issues can be daunting, and the risk of causing emotional injury is real. This book explains the complex judicial and legal requirements of child custody evaluations. The authors review the legal evidentiary standards that pertain to psychological testing, scientific evidence, and the expert witness testimony used in the court system. Most importantly, they present a clear, step-by-step evaluation protocol that has been used successfully in thousands of cases for over fifteen years, and has been demonstrated to minimize the risk of suits or complaints. Useful for novice and seasoned evaluators alike, this new edition adheres to updated principles of procedural justice, and reflects the latest in standards of fairness, objectivity, and transparency.

This book is a step-by-step guide describing how to perform an independent educational evaluation for children with special needs. Chapters provide crucial suggestions for how to navigate conflict between parents and school officials.Educational Evaluations of Children With Special Needs describes how to perform an independent educational evaluation for children with special needs. Chapters describe the suggested format and content of initial meetings with parents and school officials, the assessment and evaluation process, how to piece together the final report, and additional issues that arise after the final settlement, including testimony in due process hearings. They also carefully outline the evaluator amp rsquo s responsibilities under the law. Perhaps most importantly, they provide crucial suggestions for how evaluators can navigate conflict that often arises between parents and school officials, while remaining focused on providing the best possible education for all children.