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    ASPECT Manual Chapter 1

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    ASPECT Manual Chapter 1

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    Copyright:

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    538 views4 pages

    ASPECT Manual Chapter 1

    Uploaded by

    jeni chiriac
    test

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
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    Download as pdf or txt
    of 4

    Ac ke r m a n - S c h o e n d o r f S c a l e s f o r Pa r e n t E va l u a t i o n o f C u s t o d y ( A S P E C T )

    ASPECT
    ACKERMAN-SCHOENDORF SCALES FOR
    PARENT EVALUATION OF CUSTODY

    Manual

    Marc J. Ac kerman, Ph.D. and Kat hleen Sc hoendor f, Psy.D.

    Marc J. Ackerman, Ph.D. and Kathleen Schoendorf, Psy.D.

    Western Psychological Ser vices 12031 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, California 90025-1251

    W-273C

    1
    INTRODUCTION

    General Description

    The general questions Who would be the better custodial


    parent? and What custody arrangement is in the best
    interests of the child? were set aside in favor of a series of
    specific questions that were generated to reflect each of
    the issues deemed essential by researchers and other
    mental health professionals in determining appropriate
    custody recommendations. On the basis of these
    questions, which are answered by the examiner, the
    ASPECT assesses various characteristics of each parent,
    as well as the relationship and interaction between each
    parent and the child or children. A quantitative measure of
    these significant characteristics, relationships, and
    interactions is provided in the form of the Parental
    Custody Index (PCI), a score that may be regarded as an
    indicator of overall parenting effectiveness.
    Each of the parents completes a Parent Questionnaire, which is composed of questions regarding preferred
    custody arrangements, living and child care arrangements,
    the childrens development and education, the relationship
    between the parent and the children, and the relationship
    between the parents. It also includes questions about the
    parents background, including past and present
    psychiatric treatment, past and current substance abuse,
    and legal history.
    The examiner then completes a separate
    questionnaire for each parent. The examiners
    questionnaire contains 56 items that reflect the factors
    recognized as meaningful in custody evaluations. Twelve
    of these items have been designated as critical items
    because they are considered to be highly significant
    indicators of deficits in parenting. To complete each
    parents form, the examiner utilizes information derived
    from (a) observations and interviews of the parent, both
    alone and with the children; (b) the data from several
    psychological tests administered to the parents and the
    children; and (c) the parents responses to the Parent
    Questionnaire. There are two versions of the 56-item

    The Ackerman-Schoendorf Scales for Parent


    Evaluation of Custody (ASPECT) is a clinical tool
    designed to aid mental health professionals in making
    child custody recommendations. Consisting of a group of
    standardized scales devised to evaluate parent fitness for
    custody, the ASPECT incorporates several commonly
    used instruments, in conjunction with the clinicians
    observations, to quantify characteristics related to
    effective custodial parenting.
    Since its publication in 1992, the ASPECT has
    assumed a prominent role in the area of custody
    evaluation. A 1996 survey of custody evaluators
    (Ackerman & Ackerman, 1997; Ackerman, 2001), and a
    survey of family law attorneys (Ackerman & Kelly, 2000)
    revealed the ASPECT to be the custody evaluation tool
    most frequently used for adults.
    The ASPECT is divided into three subscales: the
    Observational Scale, the Social Scale, and the CognitiveEmotional Scale. The Observational Scale assesses the
    quality of the parents self-presentation during the
    evaluation process. The Social Scale reflects interpersonal
    relationships, as well as societal and intrafamilial
    concerns. The Cognitive-Emotional Scale measures the
    individuals affective and cognitive capabilities in relation
    to child rearing. The combination of the Observational and
    Social Scales is a measure of the outermost impression
    conveyed by the individual of his or her parenting
    effectiveness. These two scales are therefore seen as
    overt measures of fitness. On the other hand, the
    Cognitive-Emotional Scale is considered to be a measure
    of the underlying cognitive and affective capacities for
    parenting, and is therefore seen as a covert measure.
    The various factors and issues that are considered
    pertinent to custody evaluations (reviewed in chapter 5)
    were used to form the foundation of the ASPECT.

    Ackerman-Schoendorf Scales for Parent Evaluation of Custody (ASPECT)

    questionnaire: the AutoScore Answer Form, which is


    completed and scored by hand, and the computerscannable WPS TEST REPORT Answer Sheet, which is
    completed in pencil and then mailed to WPS for
    computerized scoring and interpretation. The use of both
    versions is discussed in chapter 2.
    A short form of the ASPECT (ASPECT-SF) is also
    available. It is described in the supplement at the back of
    this manual.

    ASPECT Subscales
    A weighted average of all three ASPECT subscales,
    the PCI is a global score that can be used to compare one
    parent to the other. Analysis of the differences between the
    parents scores on individual subscales clarifies the
    specific ways in which the parents differ. Although the
    subscale scores are used to explain PCI differences, it is
    the PCI that is used to guide custody recommendations,
    which are not made based on subscale differences alone.
    A brief description of each of the subscales follows.
    Observational Scale
    The Observational Scale assesses the selfpresentation and appearance of the parent. Information
    used to score the items on the Observational Scale is
    obtained primarily from observation of the parent and, to a
    lesser degree, from the parents responses to specific items
    on the Parent Questionnaire. Items on the Observational
    Scale reflect (a) the parents physical appearance; (b) the
    manner in which the parent interacts with the examiner,
    with the child, and with the other parent; (c) the parents
    initial understanding and articulation of the effects of the
    divorce on the child; and (d) the parents own perception of
    his or her parenting abilities. For specific information on
    scoring these items, as well as those on the other
    subscales, see Scoring Criteria in chapter 2.
    Social Scale
    The Social Scale addresses the parents social
    conduct and interaction with others, including the child,
    the other parent, and the community. The parent-child
    relationship is a major factor in the social environment of
    the child, and it is therefore afforded the most items. This
    relationship can be further divided into the direct
    interaction between parent and child, the childs
    perception of the parent, and the social environment that
    the parent provides for the child. Direct interaction
    between parent and child is assessed by examining the
    quality of their observed interaction (e.g., warm, positive)
    and the manner in which they communicate (e.g., open,
    easy, honest). Other items, which more indirectly assess
    the parent-child relationship, include the parents ability to
    recognize present and future needs of the child, the
    parents ability to provide discipline and self-care training,
    and the parents motivation for seeking custody.

    The parents ability to provide a healthy home


    environment and his or her capacity to understand and
    become involved with the childs education and school
    environment are indications of the extent to which the
    childs social needs are being (or will be) met.
    On the Social Scale, an attempt was made to include
    items representing a wide range of variables that have been
    cited as being relevant to custody determinations. Many of
    the questions refer to very basic conformance to societal
    standards of adequate parenting. These items inquire about
    the parents arrest history, as well as any possible problems
    with alcoholism, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and other
    legal difficulties.
    Cognitive-Emotional Scale
    The psychological health and emotional maturity of
    parents are assessed by this subscale. The CognitiveEmotional Scale of the ASPECT includes items that reflect
    current psychological functioning, past psychiatric history,
    current stress, and overall cognitive functioning. To
    quantify and specify each parents cognitive and affective
    functioning, the ASPECT utilizes specific elements of
    several psychological tests that are already frequently used
    in custody evaluations. By using measures from these
    established and widely accepted instruments, and by
    weighting them equally, the ASPECT facilitates an
    evenhanded assessment and reduces examiner bias. This
    method also simplifies comparisons between the two
    parents.

    Principles of Use
    Respondent Population
    The ASPECT is intended for use with parents
    engaged in a dispute over custody of their children.
    Because the ASPECT employs a self-report format, it
    should not be administered to individuals who are either
    unable or unwilling to cooperate in responding to the
    Parent Questionnaire or to testing in general. This would
    include hostile, uncooperative, or malingering subjects.
    Individuals with poor reading ability may have the
    questions read to them.
    Clinicians should be cautious when examining
    subjects who have had prior exposure to the questions on the
    Parent Questionnaire. These individuals may be able to
    present themselves in a falsely positive light, and therefore
    may not be suitable candidates for the ASPECT.
    The ASPECT has not been used to determine
    placement with relatives, or in cases involving either
    same-sex couples or couples who are cohabiting but not
    married. Additionally, over 10% of the items on the
    ASPECT do not apply to parents whose children are all
    below the age of 2.
    Users who employ the ASPECT with respondents in
    any of these excluded groups will find that the results are
    not valid or cannot be scored.

    Chapter 1

    Introduction

    User Qualifications
    In general, the ASPECT should be used only by skilled
    mental health professionals with advanced training in
    psychological assessment. Although transfer of information
    from the various tests, the Parent Questionnaire, and the
    examiners notes can be accomplished by clerks, the
    responsibility for interpretation should be assumed by
    the professional.
    Prior to administering the ASPECT, the user should
    become familiar with the theoretical rationale,
    standardization, psychometric properties, and specific
    limitations of the instrument, as described in this Manual.
    It is also helpful for the user to draw on personal clinical
    experience in order to make judgments concerning
    individual items, and to supplement the ASPECT with
    other information, when appropriate.
    Users are encouraged to become familiar with and
    conform to the standards prescribed by the American
    Psychological Association (1985) for the use of tests.
    Users who are unfamiliar with the issues and laws
    regarding custody evaluations should review the literature
    in this field before using the ASPECT. Additionally, it is
    assumed that the user will confer with outside consultants,
    when appropriate, to assure proper use of this instrument.
    Ethical and Legal Issues
    Use of the ASPECT in research and clinical settings
    should conform to the ethical principles developed by the
    American Psychological Association (1981). Users should
    take precautions to safeguard the confidentiality of the
    results, particularly because the validity of the ASPECT is
    threatened if the respondent is familiar in any way with its
    constituent items. In addition, ASPECT results for each
    parent should be conveyed in accord with the
    aforementioned guidelines set forth by the American
    Psychological Association (1981). The legal and
    professional standards for confidentiality vary throughout
    the country, and it is the users responsibility to be familiar
    with the laws and standards of his or her state. Safeguards
    should also be maintained to ensure protection of the
    information contained in the instrument and in this Manual
    from those not qualified to interpret psychometric data of
    this type. In particular, consultation with attorneys and
    judges should focus on the clinicians judgments, based in
    part on his or her interpretation of the ASPECT results,
    rather than on the actual test data, which nonclinicians may
    not be qualified to interpret.
    Normative data, both parents scores, individual
    items of the ASPECT, and the examiners clinical
    judgment should all be considered when making a custody
    decision. The user takes responsibility for integrating the
    results of the ASPECT with any other available
    information to arrive at a decision regarding custody
    recommendations or mediation. In doing so, the clinician

    should always take account of the current laws and


    practices regarding custody. The ethical and legal issues
    discussed here also apply to use of the computer-scored
    results, interpretations, and graphic representations
    contained in the WPS TEST REPORT.
    Computerized Versus Hand Scoring
    and Interpretation
    As previously explained in this chapter, there are two
    methods of scoring the 56-item questionnaire completed
    for each parent by the examiner. The questionnaire exists
    in two forms, enabling either hand scoring by the examiner
    or computerized scoring and interpretation. Some users
    may prefer the computerized scoring method because it
    standardizes the interpretation and produces a narrative
    report. The report highlights significant items for each
    parent and provides information about each parent in
    relation to the other and to the normative sample. Users
    seeking the most complete standardization in the
    interpretation of ASPECT scores may therefore wish to
    use the information provided in the WPS TEST REPORT.
    If the hand-scored AutoScore Answer Form is selected,
    the user may interpret the results by consulting the
    ASPECT Manual. The AutoScore Answer Form
    provides scoring sheets for both parents, and a Profile
    Form on which the user can plot both parents scores.
    Limitations
    The assessment of fitness for custody is a complex
    process that requires a thorough understanding of current
    custody laws, in addition to clinical sensitivity and
    judgment. Although the ASPECT has been shown to
    predict individual court orders of custody, additional
    validity studies on the relationship of the PCI score to the
    satisfaction and health of the child have yet to be
    conducted. The ASPECT scales are intended to provide
    normative data for a wealth of information gained through
    the course of a thorough custody assessment. The PCI
    score provided by the ASPECT can be a useful anchor
    point for comparing each parent to the other on the basis of
    quantified results. In addition, the clinician may wish to
    give his or her own weighting to specific items, in
    accordance with the particular needs of the child or
    children in each individual case.
    The ASPECT cannot completely counteract the
    effects of parents who present themselves in a falsely
    positive light. This must be considered when interpreting
    the results.
    Whether the user employs the interpretation
    contained in the computer-generated report or personally
    interprets the results obtained on the AutoScore Answer
    Form, he or she should use clinical judgment in rendering
    a decision regarding placement based on the ASPECT.

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