Walden University ScholarWorks Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Collection 2018 Using a Risk Assessment to Predict Family Court Service Use in Custody Disputes Joi Hollis Walden University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.edu/dissertations Part of the Educational Psychology Commons This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Collection at ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact ScholarWorks@waldenu. Walden University College of Social and Behavioral Sciences This is to certify that the doctoral dissertation by Joi Michele Hollis has been found to be complete and satisfactory in all respects, and that any and all revisions required by the review committee have been made.
Review Committee Dr. Jesus Tanguma, Committee Chairperson, Psychology Faculty Dr. Tracy Masiello, Committee Member, Psychology Faculty Dr. Virginia Salzer, University Reviewer, Psychology Faculty Chief Academic Officer Eric Riedel, Ph.
Walden University Abstract Using a Risk Assessment to Predict Family Court Service Use in Custody Disputes by Joi Michele Hollis MEd, Boston University, 1994 BA, Pacific Lutheran University, 1991 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Education Psychology Walden University August 2018 Abstract Present research has offered few easy-to-administer, accurate, and psychometrically- tested screening tools. Additionally, a gap exists in peer-reviewed literature concerning effective utilization of a family risk assessment instrument to determine the appropriate services for families involved in high-conflict custody cases. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if the Child Risk Index for Divorced or Separating families (CRI-DS) can be used as an effective family risk assessment tool to identify specific family needs and refer families to relevant court-related family triage services and programs. This study was grounded by Kellam and Van Horn’s life course/social field theory.
This study was supported by archival data. Correlation and regression analyses of 5 research questions addressing the relationships between family risk, court use, and related court services. Correlation results indicated both gender and marital status were significantly associated with an elevated pretest CRI-DS score and likewise conflict intensity also tended to increase. Study findings were consistent with previous findings that stress of divorce and separation was exacerbated by parental conflict and impacted the core relationships within the family; having long-term negative effects on the psychological well-being of the children involved.
Using the CRI-DS as a triage instrument can facilitate the determination of which interventive services may be implemented for at-risk youth of high-conflict families, therefore promoting positive social change through the potential to improve the lives of at-risk youth and their families. Using a Risk Assessment to Predict Family Court Service Use in Custody Disputes by Joi Michele Hollis MEd, Boston University, 1994 BA, Pacific Lutheran University, 1991 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Education Psychology Walden University August 2018 Dedication Thank you Lord for seeing me through every trial, lesson, and blessing. To my husband, Timothy William Hollis (b. 2011), thank you for a lifetime of love, support, and encouragement, my guardian angel in life and spirit.
God’s greatest gift to each other and us was, and will always be our sons. I will love you always and forever. To my pride and joy, Alex and Erik. It is for you both that I endeavor to live a life worth remembering.
I cannot promise that I will be here for the rest of your lives~ But I promise to love you for the rest of my life. Table of Contents List of Tables .v Chapter 1: Introduction to the Study.5 Court-Mandated Parent Education Classes. 8 Parenting Skills Training: New Beginnings Program (NBP) .9 Purpose of the Study .10 Research Questions and Hypotheses .12 Theoretical Framework for the Study .15 Nature of the Study .18 Scope and Delimitations .18 Limitations of the Study.19 Significance of the Study .20 Chapter 2: Literature Review .22 Literature Search Strategy.23 Literature Review Related to Key Variables and/or Concepts .27 i Never Married and Divorcing Parents. 28 Factors Impacting Children’s Adjustment of Divorce and Separation .29 Court-Mandated Parent Information Programs (PIP).
30 Parenting Skills Training: New Beginnings Program (NBP). 31 Alternative Screening Instruments. 35 Child Risk Index for Divorced or Separated Families (CRI-DS) .38 Chapter 3: Research Method .39 Research Design and Rationale .42 Sampling and Sampling Procedure. 42 Archival Data Recruitment and Data Collection.
43 Instrumentation and Operationalization of Constructs. 43 Data Analysis Plan .46 Threats to Validity .51 ii Data Collection .64 Chapter 5: Discussion, Conclusions, and Recommendations .66 Interpretation of the Findings.66 Interpretation of Research Question 1. 67 Interpretation of Research Question 2. 67 Interpretation of Research Question 3.
68 Interpretation of Research Question 4. 68 Interpretation of Research Question 5 .69 Limitations of the Study.71 Positive Social Change Implications .74 Appendix A: Child Risk Index for Divorced or Separated Families (CRI-DS) .86 iv List of Tables Table 1. Categorical Variables Observed. Logistic Regression Output/Analysis.
Observed Versus Predicted. Correlations between CRI-DS and Conflict Intensity. Correlations between posttest CRI-DS (10-month follow up) and Conflict IntensityR. Logistic Regression Output/Analysis.
Logistic Regression for Petitions Filed. Logistic Regression for Court Ordered Supervision. 64 v 1 Chapter 1: Introduction to the Study Parenting during separation and following divorce is often a traumatic experience for both parents and children (Austin, Pruett, Kirkpatrick, Flens, & Gould, 2013). Although not every separation and/or divorce of parents will have a negative impact on children, research has indicated that children of divorce have been found to have greater than double the risk of lifelong emotional or behavioral problems in comparison to children whose parents remain married (Brandon, 2006; Hetherington & Kelly, 2002).
For a sizeable subgroup of children of divorce (or separation), the negative effects of the relationship breakup continues into adulthood (Wolchik et al. Waldfogel, Craigie, and Brooks-Gunn (2010) note five key pathways through which family structure might influence child well-being: parental resources, parental mental health, parental relationship quality, parenting quality, and father involvement. Unmarried mothers who end their union with the biological father experience increased mental health problems, as do married mothers subsequent to their divorce and both (unmarried/divorcing mothers) suffer from lower income growth at this time (Fragile Families & Child Wellbeing Study, 2010). Further, Hummer and Hamilton (2010) note that the prevalence of fragile families varies across racial and ethnic strata, where most parents of all racial and ethnic groups are romantically involved at the time of their child’s birth.
African American women are less likely to be in a cohabiting relationship than are White and Hispanic mothers. Overtime, African American mothers have the lowest rates of marriage and cohabitation and the highest breakup rates, versus Mexican immigrant mothers who have the highest rates of marriage and cohabitation and the 2 lowest breakup rates. Additionally, these fragile families have far fewer socioeconomic resources than married families, though resources vary within fragile families by race and ethnicity. White mothers, in general, have more socioeconomic resources than Black, Mexican American, and Mexican immigrant mothers; they are more likely to have incomes above the poverty limit (Hummer et al.
Historical data have further indicated that 10-25% of divorcing families remain conflicted long after separation compared to 40% of unmarried parents (Fragile Families & Child Wellbeing Study, 2010), and the children in these families are at greater risk for adjustment problems (Bonds, Braver, Goodman, & Sandler, 2004; Hetherington, 1999; Maccoby & Mnookin, 1992). This segment of the population tends to use a disproportionate amount of court dispute resolution resources (Goodman et., 2004; Kline Pruett, Nangle, & Bailey, 2000). Family court systems in America have historically mandated that separating or divorcing parents participate in family dispute resolution services, which are typically offered in a tiered service model, with programs increasingly becoming more intrusive (Salem, 2009). Legal scholars have raised concerns with the tiered model of services, arguing a lack of evidence of the efficacy of this model (Salem, 2009).
A more promising family court system service model for families involved in custody disputes is the triage model, also known as differentiated case management (Salem, 2009). In the triage model, results from family risk assessments completed by the parents are used to provide families with the dispute resolution services that best align with their risks and needs as indicated by a family risk screening tool (Salem, 2009). 3 Under the tiered, linear continuum of services, families begin with the service that is least intrusive and time consuming, where in the absence of resolution, the family moves to the what is typically a more intrusive process (Salem, Kulak, & Deutsch, 2007). Families with higher conflict tend to be at greater risk of their needs being inadequately addressed at the lower end of this continuum (Salem et al.
Of increasing importance is the emotional and economic strain many families suffer through extensive court service use related to custody disputes. An exhaustive use of court resources by parents in high-conflict custody disputes often places an economic strain on families and causes case flow complications within the court system (Salem et. The resulting delays in the allocation of resources for parents and their children often exacerbate the existing emotional, mental, and behavioral problems many families in conflict are facing (Salem et. An assessment of family risk provided to parents at the earliest phase of their entering the court process in these cases is an alternate consideration in the provision of services (Salem et.
According to the U. National Research Council (2009), when potentially modifiable risk and protective factors have been identified through epidemiological and developmental research, preventive approaches can be developed to prevent the development of mental, emotional, and behavioral problems. As such, a system of early screening using a brief risk assessment may be an effective means of triaging an appropriate provision of services in lieu of the traditional tiered service model (Lande, 2012). In family law matters, the use of a family risk assessment instrument to determine the appropriate services for families involved in high-conflict custody cases can help to 4 expedite the court process while reducing financial and related burdens for families and the family court system (Stover, 2013).
It may serve as an efficient, cost-effective method of identifying families who are most at risk for poorer outcomes, providing these families additional services designed to reduce these negative outcomes (Lande, 2012). Results from the few studies on the benefits of the triage system have suggested that it has expedited the time spent in child custody litigation and has reduced family court costs (Salem, 2009). However, these same studies raised the concern that the triage system is predicated on the consistent use of an “accurate, easy to administer, [and] replicable” family risk assessment tool (Salem, 2009, p. Two assessment tools have been developed for this purpose: the the National Center for State Courts’ (2014) Screening Tool for Divorce Case Triage and the Connecticut Judicial Branch’s (2007) Family Civil Intake Screen.
However, both screening tools are extensive—the Family Civil Intake Screen is eight pages in length and the Screening Tool for Divorce Case Triage is three pages in length—and neither screening tool has undergone extensive psychometric testing. One instrument that has shown promise as a triage instrument is the Child Risk Index for Divorced or Separated Families (CRI-DS; Tein, Braver, Sandler, & Wolchik, 2013). The 15-item CRI-DS was developed as a screening tool to identify children most at risk for experiencing long-term psychological and emotional problems as a result of their parents’ divorce (Tein et al. It is used as an assessment instrument for the NBP for children, ages 4 to 15 (Tein et al.