Decades of research have demonstrated that the parent-child dyad and the environment of the familyâ€"which includes all primary caregiversâ€"are at the foundation of children's well- being and healthy development. From birth, children are learning and rely on parents and the other caregivers in their lives to protect and care for them. The impact of parents may never be greater than during the earliest years of life, when a child's brain is rapidly developing and when nearly all of her or his experiences are created and shaped by parents and the family environment. Parents help children build and refine their knowledge and skills, charting a trajectory for their health and well-being during childhood and beyond. The experience of parenting also impacts parents themselves. For instance, parenting can enrich and give focus to parents' lives; generate stress or calm; and create any number of emotions, including feelings of happiness, sadness, fulfillment, and anger. Parenting of young children today takes place in the context of significant ongoing developments. These include: a rapidly growing body of science on early childhood, increases in funding for programs and services for families, changing demographics of the U.S. population, and greater diversity of family structure. Additionally, parenting is increasingly being shaped by technology and increased access to information about parenting. Parenting Matters identifies parenting knowledge, attitudes, and practices associated with positive developmental outcomes in children ages 0-8; universal/preventive and targeted strategies used in a variety of settings that have been effective with parents of young children and that support the identified knowledge, attitudes, and practices; and barriers to and facilitators for parents' use of practices that lead to healthy child outcomes as well as their participation in effective programs and services. This report makes recommendations directed at an array of stakeholders, for promoting the wide-scale adoption of effective programs and services for parents and on areas that warrant further research to inform policy and practice. It is meant to serve as a roadmap for the future of parenting policy, research, and practice in the United States.

This authoritative reference brings together leading experts for up-to-date theory, findings, and guidelines on the core aspects of child custody evaluations. Contributors offer steps for gathering more accurate family data through home observations, interviews, and collateral information. Chapters examine psychological assessment tools commonly used in evaluations, including measures relating to parenting competencies, mental illness, domestic violence, and substance abuse, and consider increasingly salient issues such as relocation and families in therapy. The section on case studies shows best practices applied in real-life custody situations, and a chapter authored by a family court judge offers rarely-seen perspective from the bench. Featured in the Handbook: · A survey of ethical and professional issues. · Observing and interviewing children, adolescents, and adults. · Psychological assessment and personality testing. · A detailed review of the Bricklin scales. · Specialized issues, including parental alienation, attachment, cults, and more. · Illustrative case studies and psychological reports. Mental health professionals who conduct child custody evaluations, including psychiatrists, clinical psychologists clinical social workers, family and marriage counselors, and licensed clinical professional counselors, will appreciate the Handbook of Child Custody. Family law attorneys will also find the Handbook useful in assisting them in child custody litigation. Its thorough coverage will aid evaluators in making recommendations that are professional, ethical, and impartial, and family lawyers in understanding the evaluation process and preparing for expert testimony.

This research-based book covers the core components of modern parenting and child development across multi-ethnic and cross-cultural contexts in Asia, Africa, Europe, and North and South America, with a focus on the United States. Parenting and Child Development: Across Ethnicity and Culture is based on a cohesive framework that links physical, psychological, social, cognitive, and emotional aspects of children's lives to their experiences of parental behavior. This book covers the fundamentals of parent-child relationships, including the theoretical perspective of parenting, positive and negative parenting behaviors, and changing patterns of parenting from infancy through adolescence. Explored are parent-child relationships and their implications for children's health, well-being, and quality of life in different family forms, including parenting in drug-addicted families, homeless families, cohabiting families, single-parent families, and LGBT families around the world. Using an array of theories with relevant empirical findings, the practical implications for child development both within the United States and across the globe are highlighted. Also included is specific information about tools and techniques for measuring intimate relationships and intervention strategies for relationship problems.

Forensic Psychology: Emerging Topics and Expanding Roles is designed to present the current state of the field, in terms of law, ethics, research and practice. Reflecting the efforts of almost 50 expert contributors, this comprehensive reference provides a basis for conducting forensic mental health assessments consistent with the state of the field as it currently exists and the standard of care that is emerging. This must-have resource contains coverage of: Mainstream topics such as civil commitment, termination of parental rights, and federal sentencing evaluations Psycho-legal topics such as clergy and teacher sexual abuse, elder abuse, and end of life issues The appropriate application of instruments frequently used in clinical psychology to address psycho-legal issues Ideal for forensic mental health professionals, civil and criminal attorneys, and advanced students, Forensic Psychology: Emerging Topics and Expanding Roles is the definitive comprehensive reference in the field. "Alan Goldstein has his finger on the pulse of forensic psychology. He and his A-list contributors showcase a striking array of classic conundrums and budding courtroom controversies. Remarkably, their analysis is as deep as their coverage is broad. There are two or three works that simply have to be on the shelf of every forensic psychologist. This book is one of them."

Comprehensive coverage of every phase of the child custody evaluation process Does a clinician hired by a parent’s attorney bear the same responsibilities as a court-appointed psychologist? What are the most effective techniques for determining whether an alleged abuse has actually occurred? Which factors should be considered when determining whether a parent should be granted custody? Clinician’s Guide to Child Custody Evaluations, Second Edition answers these questions and hundreds more as it provides step-by-step guidance through every aspect of this sensitive and profoundly important process. Employing riveting case studies drawn from the more than 1,800 custody evaluations he has performed, Dr. Marc Ackerman provides authoritative guidelines for: Conducting interviews, observing behavior, and collecting collateral information Psychological testing and administering ASPECT and other custody instruments Evaluating parental behavior Reporting evaluation results Testifying in court This remarkably thorough resource offers completely up-to-date coverage of recent legal decisions affecting child custody, new surveys on what judges and attorneys want from evaluations, and new chapters on placement schedules and second-opinion evaluations. Clinician’s Guide to Child Custody Evaluations, Second Edition is must reading for every mental health professional who is–or would like to be–involved in child custody evaluations.