In contested custody cases, concerns regarding the mental health of one or both parents often arise. A skilled forensic psychologist can offer valuable insights to assist the court in making decisions that serve the best interests of the child in these matters.
At Dr. Robin Lowey & Associates, our forensic psychologists conduct thorough psychological evaluations when concerns about a parent’s mental health surface in custody disputes. Typically, one party may request a psychological evaluation of the other parent if there are concerns related to mental disorders, substance abuse, or other behavioral or personality issues. In such cases, the court often orders the parent in question to undergo a psychological evaluation.
We recognize the importance of these evaluations and approach the process with the sensitivity, compassion, and attention to detail it requires. The evaluation begins by gathering detailed case information from the client’s attorney. Based on this information, we determine whether we can provide the kind of evaluation that is needed.
Our practice specializes in comprehensive independent psychological evaluations to assess a parent’s psychological functioning, particularly as it relates to the parent’s ability to meet the physical and emotional needs of their child, and we provide recommendations for addressing any identified concerns. The evaluation includes an in-depth clinical interview and mental status examination, which may be conducted over several sessions due to the detailed nature of the process. The parent is also asked to complete a series of psychological tests designed to assess broad personality characteristics, as well as the existence and severity of psychological dysfunction. We also administer tests specifically focused on parenting abilities and parenting stress. In addition, we review relevant educational, medical, psychological, and legal records and conduct collateral interviews with other involved parties. If necessary, we address specific concerns raised by the other parent by offering interviews to that parent. This ensures that the court is confident that all concerns have been thoroughly examined. All collected data is carefully analyzed to form an impression of the parent’s psychological health and the potential impact of any mental health symptoms on their ability to meet the child’s needs.
We do not conduct full custody evaluations where both parents and the children all need to be evaluated. Thus, we do not make recommendations regarding the optimal custodial arrangement in these evaluations. However, we do offer an opinion about the individual parent’s psychological health, how any psychological factors present could impact their ability to safely care for their children, and what could be put in place to address any areas of risk present. Our findings are documented in meticulously prepared written reports, and we provide expert testimony when needed.