Prognosis of child abuse risk potential in parental behavior

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Jelena Zumbach
• Subject Area: Developmental and Educational Psychology
• Term: since 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 490929761

The aim of this research project is to investigate the reliability of psychological experts' assessments in child protection proceedings, and the resulting court decisions. Based on court records, child protection cases will be re-analyzed using a structured prognostic instrument, a German model version of the Dutch Child Abuse Risk Evaluation (CARE). Thus, we will examine which indicators experts use in their decision-making and how these correspond to empirical factors included in the structured risk assessment instrument. Furthermore, associations of children's psychosocial health / quality of life and child behavioral problems with the risk prognosis and the expert's recommendation will be analyzed. The next step will be to analyze whether the intervention measures recommended by the experts were adopted by the courts and which indicators the courts use in their decisions. The conceptualization and operationalization of the construct "child welfare endangerment by parental behavior" will be further specified on the basis of the findings.An empirical-quantitative original study will be conducted, including a combination of a court file analysis and an empirical assessment based on standardized screening tools. The sample will include child protection cases in which psychological assessments begin at four expert practices over a period of twelve months (locations Bremen, Berlin, 2x North Rhine-Westphalia). The psychosocial health of approximately 510 children and adolescents will be assessed using standardized screening instruments. These will be answered by the main caregivers at the time of the psychological expert evaluation. The quantitative content analysis is based on approximately 300 associated court files of the child protection proceedings, including psychological expert reports, which will be coded retrospectively using a German model version of the CARE. Multilevel modeling (MLM; level 1: subject; level 2: family) with discrete dependent variables will be applied to test the hypotheses.The project is supported by the German Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protec-tion. For the first time in Germany, systematic knowledge about the reliability of psychological expert assessments in child protection proceedings could be provided.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Netherlands
• Co-Investigators: Professorin Dr. Ute Koglin; Professorin Dr. Renate Volbert
• Cooperation Partner: Professorin Dr. Corine de Ruiter