Parental Gatekeeping and Child Custody/Child Access Evaluation: Part I: Conceptual Framework, Research, and Application

Abstract

Parental gatekeeping refers to parents’ attitudes and actions that serve to affect the quality of the other parent's relationship and involvement with the child. It captures a common statutory best interest factor that often becomes the center of child custody disputes, especially in relocation cases. Gatekeeping research is reviewed for its relevance to family court and child custody evaluation. Divorce conflict and litigation is expected to be associated with negative, restrictive gatekeeping. A conceptual framework for gatekeeping is presented for child custody evaluation. Scholars have proposed a gatekeeping continuum varying from very restrictive to very facilitative in coparenting attitudes and actions. Research allows for a general prediction of potential harm to the child when there is substantial restrictive gatekeeping. The concept of social capital is proposed as an efficient explanation of the “gatekeeping effect” on children of divorce. Evaluators are cautioned not to confuse restrictive gatekeeping attitudes and behaviors. Restrictive/negative attitudes are normative among custody litigants. Children's adjustment will be affected more by the level and quality of parental involvement than by parental gatekeeping attitudes. Evaluators are encouraged to identify specific gate‐closing and gate‐opening behaviors in a gatekeeping assessment. Implications for crafting parenting plans are discussed. Keypoints Gatekeeping varies along continuum from facilitative to restrictive gatekeeping. Maternal gatekeeping attitudes influence father's involvement and affects child adjustment. Restrictive gatekeeping fosters parental conflict. It is important to distinguish between restrictive gatekeeping attitudes and behaviors.