Re: Use of traditional psych testing in determining reunification plans

[BRubin525@xxxxxxx]

I recently ran into a disturbing situation.  A client I had just begun to 
work with received a very negative psychological evaluation stating that she 
was not fit to have her kids based on her rorshach.  It looked like a shoddy 
evaluation, however, the social worker acted as if it came from Mt. Sinai and 
proceeded to block effort toward reunification.  The woman is six months 
sober which I would imagine would also compromise the validity of her 
rorshach.  I am going to appear in court to challenge this evaluation, as I 
feel the woman could and should continue to move toward reunification. I was 
going to challenge the report based on two points:  1.  I would assume the 
Rorschach is not valid for determining either present  ability to parent 
children or one's capacity to effectively parent in the future.  2.  I would 
question the validity of a rorschach done on someone in early recovery.  I 
wonder if anyone on the listserv knows of articles or research done about the 
use of a rorschach in determining reunification decisions.  Also about the 
use of rorschach in early recovery.  I recall a while back reading e-mail 
critical of using traditional psychological testing in reunification 
decisions.

Thank You.