Forensic Mental Health Assessment of Children and Adolescents

Most professional forensic literature addresses the assessment of adults yet neglects the necessary differences that arise when working with minors. Forensic Mental Health Assessment of Children presents the reader with essential knowledge and practical suggestions regarding the forensic assessment of minors involved in a variety of legal applications. Methods of evaluation are described by leading experts regarding topics frequently encountered and of great importance to the courts including: -Physical and sexual child abuse -Domestic violence -Child custody in divorce proceedings -Risk assesment for violence -Potential for rehabilitation in juvenile court cases -Special education -Childhood development and trauma as mitigating circumstances in death penalty cases In addition to reviewing a broad spectrum of topics, methods of evaluation, and the application of specific tests, chapters also address forensic assessment matters such as ethical issues, professional liability, and cultural considerations. This comprehensive resource will be indispensable to mental health practitioners and legal professionals, and of great interest to researchers and students. An introduction and overview of forensic mental health assessment of children and adolescents Introduction to forensic assessment of children Forensic assessment issues : ethics, lawyers, courts, cultural considerations, professional liability The legal contexts of forensic assessment of children and adolescents : an overview / by Lois A. Weithorn Integrating assessment, treatment, and justice : pipe dream or possibility? / by Gary B. Melton and Robin J. Kimbrough-Melton Ethical issues in forensic assessment of children and adolescents / by Gerald P. Koocher Ten rules : how to get along better with lawyers and the legal system / by William E. Foote Avoiding malpractice in child forensic assessment / by O. Brandt Caudill, Jr. Working with courts, judges and lawyers : what forensic mental health professionals should know about being an expert witness / by Steven R. Smith Interpreting forensic interview and test data of Latino children : recommendations for culturally competent evaluations / by Roberto J. Velasquez, Jeanett Castellanos, Maria Garrido, Paula Maness, Ulla Anderson, and Shirley Amanda Gabazon Forensic mental health applications Forensic interviewing of children and adolescents / by Linda Sayler Gudas and Jerome M. Sattler Assessing child sexual abuse allegations in a legal context / by Kathryn Kuehnle and Steven N. Sparta Evaluating the effects of domestic violence on children / by Lois Oberlander Xondie Child physical abuse and neglect : medical and other considerations in forensic psychological assessment / by Amy C. Tishelman, Alice W. Newton, Jennifer E. Denton and Andrea M. Vandeven Assessing risk for violence among juvenile offenders / by Randy Borum Psychological evaluation for child custody / by Steven N. Sparta and Philip M. Stahl Assessing eligibility for and appropriateness of special education services / by Stephen T. DeMers and Leah Nellis Examining children in personal injury claims / by Michael A. Goldberg Neuropsychological considerations in forensic child assessment / by Karen E. Wills and Jerry J. Sweet A pediatric lead litigation primer : foundations for mental health assessment / by Steven B. Bisbing Bullying and stalking in children and adolescents : assessing obsessional harassment / by Joseph T. McCann Forensic assessment of amenability to rehabilitation in juvenile delinquency / by Robert Kinscherff Forensic assessment of parenting in child abuse and neglect cases / by Catherine Ayoub and Robert Kinscherff Forensic evaluation of juvenile sexual offenders / by David Medoff and Robert T. Kinscherff Assessing childhood trauma and developmental factors as mitigation in capital cases / by Alan M. Goldstein, Naomi E. Goldstein, and Rachel Kalbeitzer Assessing firesetting behavior in children and adolescents / by David K. Wilcox Selected measurement issues The MMPI-A in forensic assessment / by James N. Butcher and Kenneth S. Pope Measures for evaluating child sexual abuse / by William N. Friedrich Measuring adolescent personality and psychopathology with the Millon Adolescent Clinical Inventory (MACI) / by Joseph T. McCann. Contents 14 Foreword 8 Contributors 18 Introduction to Forensic Assessment of Children 24 Part I: Forensic Assessment Issues: Ethics, Lawyers, Courts, Cultural Considerations, and Professional Liability 30 1. The Legal Contexts of Forensic Assessment of Children and Families 32 2. Integrating Assessment, Treatment, and Justice: Pipe Dream or Possibility? 51 3. Ethical Issues in Forensic Assessment of Children and Adolescents 67 4. Ten Rules: How to Get Along Better With Lawyers and the Legal System 85 5. Avoiding Malpractice in Child Forensic Assessment 95 6. Working With Courts, Judges, and Lawyers: What Forensic Mental Health Professionals Should Know About Being Expert Witnesses 109 7. Interpreting Forensic Interview and Test Data of Latino Children: Recommendations for Culturally Competent Evaluations 118 Part II: Forensic Mental Health Applications 134 8. Forensic Interviewing of Children and Adolescents 136 9. Assessing Child Sexual Abuse Allegations in a Legal Context 150 10. Evaluating the Effects of Domestic Violence on Children 170 11. Child Physical Abuse and Neglect: Medical and Other Considerations in Forensic Psychological Assessment 196 12. Assessing Risk for Violence Among Juvenile Offenders 211 13. Psychological Evaluation for Child Custody 224 14. Assessing Eligibility for and Appropriateness of Special Education Services 251 15. Examining Children in Personal Injury Claims 266 16. Neuropsychological Considerations in Forensic Child Assessment 281 17. A Pediatric Lead Litigation Primer: Foundations for Mental Health Assessment 306 18. Bullying and Stalking in Children and Adolescents: Assessing Obsessional Harassment 322 19. Forensic Assessment of Amenability to Rehabilitation in Juvenile Delinquency 332 20. Forensic Assessment of Parenting in Child Abuse and Neglect Cases 351 21. Forensic Evaluation of Juvenile Sexual Offenders 363 22. Assessing Childhood Trauma and Developmental Factors as Mitigation in Capital Cases 386 23. Assessing Firesetting Behavior in Children and Adolescents 402 Part III: Selected Measurement Issues 420 24. The MMPI-A in Forensic Assessment 422 25. Measures for Evaluating Child Sexual Abuse 433 26. Measuring Adolescent Personality and Psychopathology With the Millon Adolescent Clinical Inventory (MACI) 445 Index 462 A 462 B 465 C 466 D 470 E 472 F 474 G 475 H 476 I 477 J 478 K 479 L 480 M 481 N 483 O 484 P 484 Q 488 R 488 S 490 T 492 U 494 V 494 W 494 X 495 Y 495 Z 495

Most professional forensic literature addresses the assessment of adults yet neglects the necessary differences that arise when working with minors. Forensic Mental Health Assessment of Children presents the reader with essential knowledge and practical suggestions regarding the forensic assessment of minors involved in a variety of legal applications. Methods of evaluation are described by leading experts regarding topics frequently encountered and of great importance to the courts including:
-Physical and sexual child abuse
-Domestic violence
-Child custody in divorce proceedings
-Risk assesment for violence
-Potential for rehabilitation in juvenile court cases
-Special education
-Childhood development and trauma as mitigating circumstances in death penalty cases In addition to reviewing a broad spectrum of topics, methods of evaluation, and the application of specific tests, chapters also address forensic assessment matters such as ethical issues, professional liability, and cultural considerations. This comprehensive resource will be indispensable to mental health practitioners and legal professionals, and of great interest to researchers and students.

Provides information and suggestions for conducting forensic mental health evaluations of children and adolescents. A range of assessment problems are described in this book, along with discussions about measurement techniques and forensic issues related to minors