Forensic psychological examination in disputes between parents about the upbringing of a child: the concepts of “attachment” and “attitude”

Context and relevance. Currently, the number of comprehensive forensic psychological and psychiatric examinations is increasing in judicial disputes between parents about the upbringing of a child, and the range of tasks assigned to a psychologist is expanding. Despite the existence of a single methodological approach, in the production of this subject type of forensic psychological examination, the content of the conclusion and the terminology used are determined by experts individually, which determines the relevance of the revision and clarification of the categorical apparatus specific to such examinations. Goal. Correction of the content and expert significance of psychological concepts of forensic psychological examination of disputes between parents about the upbringing of a child. Results. In relation to the requests of forensic psychological examination, scientific ideas about the concepts of “attachment” and “attitude” are summarized; their psychological content is analyzed, taking into account the history and current state of the issue; principles of systematization, classification and axis of analysis of these categories that meet the methodology and objectives of expert research are highlighted. With a projection on expert tasks, the semantic field of concepts and their intersection are outlined; the terminological features and explanatory potential of these categories are investigated, as well as the possibilities of their use in expert methodology in disputes between parents about the upbringing of a child. The reasons for the expert assessment of child-parent relations in the course of a comprehensive forensic psychological and psychiatric examination are proposed. Conclusions. Based on the analysis, the priorities of the expert use of the categories “attachment” and “attitude” in assessing child-parent relations are substantiated.

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