ABSTRACT
Few social questions are more timely or reflect a broader base of public concern than how to alleviate the negative impact of divorce on children and parents. The social problems resulting from divorce fill the offices of increasingly large num of professionals. Because of its impact on the tax-conscious public who support the judicial system, divorce has become a political issue as well. The growing dissatisfaction with existing methods of processing custody disputes is having a significant impact on public policy, as well as on the focus of social research and the practice of the mental health professions. New custody legislation emerging in numerous states such as California, New York, and Oregon demonstrates the extent to which public pressure exists to change the policies and practices commonly applied to custody dispute-processing.
