TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2016//
TI  - Best interest of the child and parental alienation: a survey of state statutes
JO  - Journal of forensic sciences
A1  - Baker, Amy J. L.
A1  - Asayan, Mariann
A1  - LaCheen-Baker, Alianna
SP  - 1011
EP  - 1016
VL  - 61
IS  - 4
N2  - State statutes regarding the best interests of the child (BIC) in deciding disputed custody were reviewed and independently coded with respect to three issues (i) the child's preference and any limits (ii) parental alienation and (iii) psychological maltreatment. <br><br>RESULTS revealed that many states allowed for the child's preferences to be considered and none qualified that preference when undue influence has occurred; parental alienation as a term was not found in any state statutes but 70% of the states included at least one BIC factor relevant to its core construct of the parent supporting the child's relationship to the other parent; and many states included a history of domestic violence or child abuse but only three states explicitly mentioned psychological maltreatment. These findings highlight yet another way in which the BICS factors lack specificity in ways that could negatively impact children caught in their parents' conflict.<br><br>© 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0022-1198
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.13100
ID  - ref1
ER  -