In some divorce cases, the court may order a psychological evaluation for your family. Most often, this occurs when there is a lot of disagreement on child custody matters.
The American Psychological Association explains the process helps the court gather information with the goal of determining the psychological best interests of the child. Since custody decisions by the court always rest on what is best for the child, this evaluation provides additional help to the court to ensure it makes the best decision.
Family dynamics
The professional conducting the evaluation will want to learn more about your family dynamics. He or she will ask questions and encourage each member of your family to talk about the relationships between the parents and the children. The goal is to understand the parental roles and the interactions between the children and the parents.
Concerns
During the evaluation, the professional will also work to uncover any issues. If you and your spouse cannot agree on custody and have to undergo this evaluation because of that, expect the professional to work to figure out why you are not in agreement.
In addition, the evaluation will seek to uncover how issues in the family are affecting the children. The professional may also bring these things to your attention and help you see what is happening to your family as a result of the divorce proceedings.
Parental abilities
The professional will also exam your ability as a parent, looking for different attributes. He or she will also try to uncover how well you can support your child psychologically.
