10 Hours / 10 CEs

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on Allegations of Alienation or Child Sexual Abuse in Custody Evaluations is presented by David A. Martindale, PhD, ABPP. 

This badge-earning program can be shared digitally on platforms like LinkedIn or your resume and counts towards a certificate. Enroll in this program to earn credit towards Child Custody Evaluation Certificate and share your new digital credentials with prospective employers and colleagues.

Forensic psychological evaluations that are conducted in conjunction with disputes that include allegations of alienation or of child sexual abuse are qualitatively different from other evaluations conducted in the context of litigation involving access to or custody of children. The disputes are atypically contentious, and much of the information needed by the evaluator must be obtained from the children, making the development of child forensic interviewing skills critically important. This program focuses on the acquisition of these skills.


Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:

  • 1 Describe the primary sources of information used by evaluators in evaluations involving allegations of alienation or child sexual abuse
  • 2 Describe the distinctions between alienation and related concepts such as alliance, affinity, estrangement, and visitation resistance
  • 3 Describe the intrapsychic dynamics of the child that may contribute to alienation
  • 4 Describe the ways in which children’s cognitive development affects the way in which sexual abuse is experienced and reported
  • 5 Describe the elements of the child forensic interview process that serve to increase the accuracy of reporting by the child
  • 6 Describe the pros and cons of using dolls and drawings in the child forensic interview

  • Intended Audience

    This training is designed for professionals seeking to deepen their expertise in child custody evaluations and forensic interviewing, particularly in cases involving allegations of alienation or child sexual abuse. It is especially relevant for those specializing in forensic work and those responsible for conducting or supporting custody evaluations and forensic interviews.


    Examples of Relevant Professionals:
    • Mental health professionals (psychologists, social workers, counselors, therapists)
    • Child custody evaluators
    • Forensic interviewers
    • Family therapists
    • Clinical psychologists
    • Forensic psychologists
    • Licensed professional counselors
    • Social work professionals involved in custody or forensic cases

  • Experience Level

    This training is appropriate for licensed and pre-licensed mental health professionals at various stages of experience with forensic psychological evaluations involving allegations of alienation or child sexual abuse.

    • Beginner: Participants are new to forensic evaluations in custody or access disputes and seek foundational knowledge of child forensic interviewing and relevant concepts such as alienation and child sexual abuse.

    • Intermediate: Participants have some experience with forensic evaluations and are looking to deepen their understanding of the distinctions between alienation and related concepts, as well as refine their child forensic interviewing skills to improve accuracy and reliability.

    • Advanced: Participants are experienced in conducting forensic evaluations in high-conflict custody or access cases and wish to further enhance their expertise in complex intrapsychic dynamics, advanced interviewing techniques, and nuanced assessment of children’s reports.

  • Practice Setting

    Practice occurs in court-involved, multidisciplinary clinical-forensic environments handling highly contentious custody disputes involving allegations of alienation or child sexual abuse. Professionals conduct developmentally sensitive, trauma-informed child interviews and comprehensive evaluations in neutral, child-friendly, and legally defensible settings while coordinating closely with legal and child protection systems.

    Examples of Practice Settings:

    • Family court-affiliated custody evaluation units
    • Child Advocacy Centers (CACs) and multidisciplinary team settings
    • Forensic interview programs in prosecutors’ or child protection agencies
    • Private practices specializing in court-involved forensic evaluations
    • Hospital-based child protection/forensic clinics
    • Community mental health clinics serving court-involved families
    • University-affiliated forensic psychology clinics
    • Supervised visitation and exchange centers with evaluation services
Presented By

David A. Martindale, PhD, ABPP (Forensic)

David A. Martindale, Ph.D., ABPP (forensic), limits his practice to consulting with psychologists, attorneys, and state regulatory boards. He lectures regularly on issues pertaining to evaluations of comparative custodial suitability, served on the AFCC Child Custody Consulting Task Force, and was the Reporter for the AFCC Model Standards of Practice for Child Custody Evaluation.



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Earning a Certificate

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CE Sponsorship Information

Palo Alto University, Continuing & Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by, recognized by, or maintains sponsorship provider status with the following boards and agencies. We maintain responsibility for all content in our CE/CPD programs. For more information, visit here. 

  1. American Psychological Association (APA): Approved sponsor of continuing education for psychologists.

  2. Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB): Approved continuing education provider (ACE program, Provider #1480), 11/22/2023–11/22/2026.

  3. Canadian Psychological Association (CPA): Approved to sponsor continuing education for psychologists.

  4. National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC): Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP No. 7190).

Sponsorship Approval Statements

Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7190. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Palo Alto University, #1480, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. Palo Alto University maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period 11/22/23-11/22/26. Social workers completing this course receive (clinical or social work ethics) continuing education credits. Continuing and Professional Studies, Palo Alto University, is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0103. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. Palo Alto University, Continuing & Professional Studies (CONCEPT), is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0356. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies, is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0073.