Allegations of child sexual abuse in child custody cases:  Allegations of child sexual abuse (CSA) are estimated to be three times more likely in child custody cases than in the general population.  These two articles discuss the difficulties in assessing the credibility of CSA allegations and the uncertainty about what did or did not happen to the child.  Research on the prevalence of CSA and the dynamics that commonly emerge in these cases are discussed.  Milfred D. Dale, If we knew what happened, we would know better what to do: A Commentary on Kleinman & Kaplan's Relaxation of the Rules for Science Detrimental to Children, 13(1) J. Child Custody 206 (2018).  See also Milfred Dale and Jonathan Gould, Commentary on "Analyzing Child Sexual Abuse Allegations": Will a New Untested Criterion-Based Content Analysis Model Be Helpful? 14 J. Forensic Psychol. Practice 169 (2014).  

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Overnight parenting time and attachment:  This article reviewed the research on attachment and overnight parenting time, which is frequently a source of conflict and disagreement when divorces involved small children.  The article identifies factors for Courts to use in making decisions about overnight parenting time.   Pamela S. Ludolph & Milfred D. Dale, Attachment and Child Custody: An Additive Factor, Not a Determinative One, 46(1) Fam. L. Q. 1 (2012).   

 

Protecting children from parental conflict:  This article discusses the role of the Court in protecting children from the harmful effects of parental conflict.  The article discusses the importance of giving the child a "voice" without burdening them with the "choice."  Milfred D. Dale, Don't Forget the Children: Court Protection from Parental Conflict is in the Best Interests of Children, 52(4) Fam Ct. Rev. 648 (2014).

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Shared parenting - quantity AND quality of parenting serve a child's best interests: This commentary reviews an article based on meta-analytic data showing that the quality of the nonresidential parent's parenting predicts positive child adjustment.  In this article, Dr. Dale's position is that shared parenting can be good for children, but the research does not support a shared parenting presumption over the individualized best interests of the child standard.  Milfred D. Dale, Of Course, Quantity AND Quality of Nonresidential Father involvement Matter . . . as Part of Every Individualized Determination: Commentary on Adamsons (2018), 15(8) J. Child Custody 206 (2018),  See also Dr. Dale, along with Austen McGuire and Stephanie Gusler, has conducted a comprehensive meta-analytic review of the empirical research on shared parenting and presented this data as state, national, and  international conferences.