De conflictscheiding als complexe gezinsproblematiek | Amsterdam University Press Journals Online
2004
Volume 40, Issue 2
  • ISSN: 1567-7109
  • E-ISSN: 2468-1652

Abstract

Abstract

High Conflict Divorce form 20% of separations that involve children. These parents continue to litigate child custody and parenting arrangements, and accuse each other of child abuse, intimate partner violence, and mental health problems. The children suffer because of longstanding animosity. In this contribution, we report on a pilot study among 102 parents in a high conflict divorce, assessed at the Child Protection Council, Safe Home, or a child welfare service. The MASIC, a structured screening interview for intimate partner violence (IPV), was administered to each parent separately. Results revealed that the prevalence of different types of IPV was extremely high in our sample, and the violence kept occurring after the divorce, albeit somewhat less frequently. Our findings largely concur with international research in this area. In particular, the presence of coercive controlling violence perpetrated by one of the ex-partners, should prompt the professional to conduct further evaluation of parental and child safety. The type of IPV that emerges from the MASIC screening has implications for the advice to the parents and the family court.

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.5117/PED2020.2.004.DERU
2020-11-01
2024-03-28
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

/deliver/fulltext/15677109/40/2/04_PED2020.2_DERU.html?itemId=/content/journals/10.5117/PED2020.2.004.DERU&mimeType=html&fmt=ahah

References

  1. AFCC. (2006). Model standards of practice for child custody evaluation. Madison, WI: Association for Family and Conciliation Courts.
    [Google Scholar]
  2. AFCC. (2016). Guidelines for examining intimate partner violence: A Supplement to the AFCC Model Standards of Practice for Child Custody Evaluation. Madison, WI: Association for Family and Conciliation Courts.
    [Google Scholar]
  3. Amato, P.R.(2000). The consequences of divorce for adults and children. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 62, 1269-1287.
    [Google Scholar]
  4. Amato, P.R.(2010). Research on divorce: Continuing trends and new developmentsJournal of Marriage and the Family, 72(3), 650-666.
    [Google Scholar]
  5. American Psychological Association. (2010). Guidelines for child custody evaluations in family law proceedings. American Psychologist, 65(9), 863-867.
    [Google Scholar]
  6. Ayoub, C.C., Deutsch, R.M., & Maraganore, A.(1999). Emotional distress in children of High-Conflict Divorce: The impact of marital conflict and violence. Family and Conciliation Courts Review, 37(3), 297-314.
    [Google Scholar]
  7. Ballard, E.D., Van Eck, K., Musci, R.J., Hart, S.R., Storr, C.L., Breslau, N., & Wilcox, H.C.(2015). Latent classes of childhood trauma exposure predict the development of behavioral health outcomes in adolescence and young adulthood. Psychological Medicine, 45(15), 3305-3316.
    [Google Scholar]
  8. Ballard, R.H., Holtzworth-Munroe, A., Applegate, A.G., & Beck, C.J.A.(2011). Detecting intimate partner violence in family and divorce mediation: A randomized trial of intimate partner violence screening. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 17(2), 241-263.
    [Google Scholar]
  9. Baracs, M.N., & Vreeburg-Van der Laan, E.J.M.(2014). Vechtende ouders, het kind in de knel. Adviesrapport over het verbeteren van de positie van kinderen in vechtscheidingen. Advies: KOM003/2014. Den Haag: Kinderombudsman.
    [Google Scholar]
  10. Beck, C.J.A. (2017, January 9). [Personal communication].
  11. Beck, C.J.A., Anderson, E.R., O'Hara, K.L., & Benjamin, G.A.(2013). Patterns of intimate partner violence in a large, epidemiological sample of divorcing couples. Journal of Family Psychology, 27(5), 743-753.
    [Google Scholar]
  12. Bernet, W., Gregory, N., Reay, K.M., & Rohner, R.P.(2018). An objective measure of splitting in parental alienation: The Parental Acceptance-Rejection Questionnaire. Journal of Forensic Science, 63(3), 776-783.
    [Google Scholar]
  13. Bubriski-McKenzie, A., & Jasinski, J. L.(2013). Mental health effects of intimate terrorism and situational couple violence among Black and Hispanic women. Violence Against Women, 19(12), 1429-1448.
    [Google Scholar]
  14. Chan, Y., & Yeung, J.W.(2009). Children living with violence within the family and its sequel: A meta-analysis from 1995–2006. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 14(5), 313–322.
    [Google Scholar]
  15. Cohen Hita, L., & Braver, S.L.(2016). Never-married parents in family court. In L.M.Drozd, M.A.Saini, & N.W.Olesen (Eds.), Parenting plan evaluations: Applied research for the family court, 2nd ed. (pp. 488-513). New York: Oxford University Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  16. Coker, A.L., Davis, K.E., Arias, I., Desai, S., Saunderson, M., Brandt, H.M., & Smith, P.H.(2002). Physical and mental health effects of intimate partner violence for men and women. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 23(4), 260–268.
    [Google Scholar]
  17. Corijn, M.(2016). Het Vlaamse en Belgische echtscheidingscijfer: Evolutie, positionering, verklaringen en gevolgen. Retrieved from https://www.statistiekvlaanderen.be/sites/default/files/atoms/files/svr-verkenning2016-4-echtscheiding_0.pdf
    [Google Scholar]
  18. Crossman, K.A., Hardesty, J.L., & Raffaelli, M.(2016). "He could scare me without laying a hand on me": Mothers' experiences of nonviolent coercive control during marriage and after separation. Violence Against Women, 22(4), 454-473.
    [Google Scholar]
  19. Davidson, R.D., & Beck, C.J.A.(2017). Using couple-level patterns of intimate partner violence to predict divorce outcomes. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 23(1), 85-95.
    [Google Scholar]
  20. Drozd, L.M., Olesen, N.W., & Saini, M.A.(2013). Parenting plan and child custody evaluations: Using decision trees to increase evaluator competence & avoid preventable errors. Sarasota, FL: Professional Resource Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  21. Drozd, L.M., Saini, M.A., & Olesen, N.W. (Eds.). (2016). Parenting plan evaluations: Applied research for the family court (2nd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  22. Eddy, B.(2009). New ways for families in separation and divorce: Professional guidebook for therapists, lawyers, judicial officers and mediators. Scottsdale, AZ: High Conflict Institute Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  23. Erens, B., Otgaar, H., de Ruiter, C., & Patihis, L. (2020). Beliefs about children’s memory and child investigative interviewing practices: A survey in Dutch child protection professionals from ‘Safe Home’. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 546187.
    [Google Scholar]
  24. Family Violence Committee. (2016). Family violence best practice principles (4th ed). Commonwealth of Australia.
    [Google Scholar]
  25. Garber, B.D.(2020). Sherlock Holmes and the case of resist/refuse dynamics: Confirmatory bias and abductive inference in child custody evaluations. Family Court Review, 58(2), 386–402.
    [Google Scholar]
  26. Gewirtz, A.H., & Edleson, J.L.(2007). Young children’s exposure to intimate partner violence: Towards a developmental risk and resilience framework for research and intervention. Journal of Family Violence, 22, 151–163.
    [Google Scholar]
  27. Gould, J.W., & Martindale, D.A.(2009). The art and science of child custody evaluations. New York: Guilford Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  28. Government ofAlberta.(2014). Social Return On Investment (SROI) case study: Medicine Hat Family Services and New Ways For Families (NWFF). Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada.
    [Google Scholar]
  29. Greenberg, L.R., & Lebow, J.L.(2016). Putting it all together: Effective intervention planning for children and families. In L.M.Drozd, M.A.Saini, & N.W.Olesen (Eds.), Parenting plan evaluations: Applied research for the family court, 2nd ed. (pp. 556-584). New York: Oxford University Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  30. Hardesty, J.L., Ogolsky, B.G., Raffaelli, M., Whittaker, A., Crossman, K.A., Haselschwerdt, M. L., . . .Khaw, L.(2017). Coparenting relationship trajectories: Marital violence linked to change and variability after separation. Journal of Family Psychology, 31(7), 844-854.
    [Google Scholar]
  31. Harman, J.J., Bernet, W., & Harman, J.(2019). Parental alienation: The blossoming of a field of study. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 28(2), 212-217.
    [Google Scholar]
  32. Hass, G.A.(2014). Parenting coordination and domestic violence. In S. A.Higuchi & S. J.Lally (Eds.), Parenting coordination in postseparation disputes: A comprehensive guide for practitioners (pp. 201-228). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
    [Google Scholar]
  33. Hayes, B.E., & Kopp, P.M.(2019). Gender differences in the effect of past year victimization on self-reported physical and mental health: Findings from the 2010 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey. American Journal of Criminal Justice, 45(2), 293-312.
    [Google Scholar]
  34. Hetherington, E.M.(2003). Intimate pathways: Changing patterns in close personal relationships across time. Family Relations, 52, 318-331.
    [Google Scholar]
  35. Holtzworth-Munroe, A., Beck, C.J.A., & Applegate, A.G.(2010). The Mediator's Assessment of Safety Issues and Concerns (MASIC): A screening interview for intimate partner violence and abuse available in the public domain. Family Court Review, 48(4), 646–662.
    [Google Scholar]
  36. Hurwitz, H.(2016). Responding effectively to high conflict families in custody disputes. Workshop slides. Tilburg, the Netherlands.
    [Google Scholar]
  37. Jaffe, P.G., Johnston, J.R., Crooks, C.V., & Bala, N.(2008). Custody disputes involving allegations of domestic violence: Toward a differentiated approach to parenting plans. Family Court Review, 46(3), 500-522.
    [Google Scholar]
  38. Johnson, M.P. (2006a). Apples and oranges in child custody disputes: Intimate terrorism versus situational couple violence. Journal of Child Custody, 2, 43-52.
    [Google Scholar]
  39. Johnson, M.P. (2006b). Conflict and control: Gender symmetry and asymmetry in domestic violence. Violence Against Women, 12, 1003–1018.
    [Google Scholar]
  40. Joyce, A.N.(2016). High-Conflict Divorce: A form of child neglect. Family Court Review, 54(4), 642–656.
    [Google Scholar]
  41. Kelly, J.B., & Johnson, M.P.(2008). Differentiation among types of intimate partner violence: Research update and implications for interventions. Family Court Review, 46, 476–499.
    [Google Scholar]
  42. Lebow, J.L.(2019). Treating the difficult divorce: A practical guide for psychotherapists. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
    [Google Scholar]
  43. Litvack, A.(2007). Best Practices with families experiencing High-Conflict Separation and Divorce. Toronto, Canada: Jewish Family and Child in conjunction with the High Conflict Forum.
    [Google Scholar]
  44. McTavish, J.R., MacGregor, J.C., Wathen, C.N., & MacMillan, H.L.(2016). Children's exposure to intimate partner violence: An overview. International Review of Psychiatry, 28(5), 504-518.
    [Google Scholar]
  45. O'Leary, D.K., Vivian, D., & Malone, J.(1992). Assessment of physical aggression against women in marriage. Behavioral Assessment, 14, 5–14.
    [Google Scholar]
  46. Osofsky, J.D., & Groves, B.A. (Eds.). (2018). Violence and trauma in the lives of children: Overview of exposure (Vol. 1). Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger.
    [Google Scholar]
  47. Pearson, J.(1997). Mediating when domestic violence is a factor: Policies and practices in court-based divorce mediation programs. Mediation Quarterly, 14, 319–335.
    [Google Scholar]
  48. Platform Scheiden zonder Schade. (2018). Scheiden... en de kinderen dan? Agenda voor actie. Den Haag.
    [Google Scholar]
  49. Pokman, V., Rossi, F.S., Holtzworth-Munroe, A., Applegate, A.G., Beck, C.J.A., & D'Onofrio, B.M.(2014). Mediator's Assessment of Safety Issues and Concerns (MASIC): Reliability and validity of a new intimate partner violence screen. Assessment, 21(5), 529-542.
    [Google Scholar]
  50. Raad voor de Rechtspraak. (2016). Visiedocument Rechtspraak (echt)scheiding ouders met kinderen. Den Haag.
    [Google Scholar]
  51. Rossi, F.S., Holtzworth-Munroe, A., Applegate, A.G., & Beck, C.J.A.(2020). Subtypes of violent separating or divorcing couples seeking family mediation and their association with personality and criminality characteristics. Psychology of Violence, 10(4), 390-399.
    [Google Scholar]
  52. Shen, A.C.(2009). Long-term effects of interparental violence and child physical maltreatment experiences on PTSD and behavior problems: A national survey of Taiwanese college students. Child Abuse and Neglect, 33(3), 148-160.
    [Google Scholar]
  53. Stahl, P.M.(2000). Parenting after divorce. San Luis Obispo, CA: Impact Publishers.
    [Google Scholar]
  54. Strohschein, L.(2005). Parental divorce and child mental health trajectories. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 67, 1286- 1300.
    [Google Scholar]
  55. Toews, M.L., & Bermea, A.M.(2017). "I was naive in thinking, 'I divorced this man, he is out of my life'": A qualitative exploration of post-separation power and control tactics experienced by women. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 32(14), 2166-2189.
    [Google Scholar]
  56. Warshak, R.A.(2015). Ten parental alienation fallacies that compromise decisions in court and in therapy. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 46(4), 235-249.
    [Google Scholar]
  57. Warshak, R.A.(2020). When evaluators get it wrong: False positive IDs and parental alienation. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 26(1), 54-68.
    [Google Scholar]
  58. Zeoli, A.M., Rivera, E.A., Sullivan, C.M., & Kubiak, S.(2013). Post-separation abuse of women and their children: Boundary-setting and family court utilization among victimized mothers. Journal of Family Violence, 28(6), 547-560.
    [Google Scholar]
http://instance.metastore.ingenta.com/content/journals/10.5117/PED2020.2.004.DERU
Loading
/content/journals/10.5117/PED2020.2.004.DERU
Loading

Data & Media loading...

  • Article Type: Research Article
Keyword(s): domestic violence; High Conflict Divorce; MASIC; mediation
This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a Success
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error