Bruce E. Mapes, PhD Highly regarded Psychologist and Child Custody Evaluator or just another ASS. You decide!

Bruce E. Mapes, PhD Highly regarded Psychologist and Child Custody Evaluator or just another ASS. You decide!

We have all been reading about the difficulties that parents have experienced with Bruce E. Mapes, Ph.D.   For each of you that has posted information about your experience with Dr. Mapes  thank you and please know that your posts are helping parents and even lawyers combat the trash this man puts forth as “the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth”.  He has perpetrated a major fraud on the Chester County Court of Common Pleas, has misrepresented the truth by taking what parents and children and twisting it to fit his purposes, has ongoing discussions with lawyers associated with your custody matter, and practices from his own version of ethics.

Unfortunately, he continues to hurt people, destroys family relationships and empowers the Courts to make decision based on fabricated information as included in his reports.  It is very clear to me; a person who has suffered through one of his so called child custody evaluations, that Dr. Mapes does not have a clue just how awful he is at the practice of psychology.  This is due in part to his lack of ethical commitment, his not taking seriously the responsibility he has to the Court as an appointed expert and his need to maintain a lifestyle.  Every time he is appointed as an expert to the Court he has a great money making opportunity – he could care less about you or your children.   He is a dangerous person and needs to be forced out as an expert witness for the Chester County Court of Common Pleas.

Many of you have talked about how shocked you were when you reviewed Dr. Mapes evaluation report.  You spoke about your words being taken out of context, turned and twisted, information being ignored, omitted or otherwise discounted.  Most have had the shared experience of taking the MMPI test in a common area (kitchen/copy room) and told to leave personal information in an unattended area while Mapes “stepped out”.  For some of you, we have had the opportunity to compare notes about the brevity of the interview process lasting not too much longer than 1 hour; with other we spoke of asinine questions Mapes asked during your interviews; with others we compared notes on the questions he asked and found that the questions that he asked of each of us were the same and in the same order; most of you commented on what a lousy interviewer Dr. Mapes is; most of you commented that you felt that Dr. Mapes did not listen to key information that you presented either in writing or during the cours of the interview.  Some of you have pointed out that Dr. Mapes is not consistent in his recitation of his qualifications and others have presented that Dr. Bruce E. Mapes violated your civil rights by releasing information outside of the court order and without your consent.  As one or the persons stated and many of you have agreed “Dr. Mapes is a HACK”.

In an effort to help parents who have yet to have the pleasure of meeting face to face with Dr. Mapes, I think it is important to post the questions that he asked of me during my interview with him.  It is difficult for me to understand how Dr. Mapes fulfills his obligation to the Court as an “expert” and how he is able to advise the court on a “matter of law” from the very simple questions he asked.  As I review these questions I am struck by the absence of interview content on the parental bond between parent and child, the quality of relationship between parent and child and the total lack of content as to the emotional supports that the child receives from the parent.  It appears to me that the interview process employed by Dr. Mapes is nothing more than a cookie cutter approach to very complex issues and that he is a very poor and unskilled interviewer.

Based on the questions that Dr. Mapes asked during my interview (as listed below) it is very clear that Mapes is biased in his approach, probably highly influenced by an attorney who has filled him in on the issues prior to or during the evaluation process.  In short, Dr. Mapes is nothing more than a hired gun that will craft a report that assures that he gets additional referrals or that he is called as a paid expert to review his report.  He is not objective, unbiased and does not follow the facts as presented in written document or information presented in during the interview.  It is very clear that Dr. Mapes had his mind made up from the initial appointment from the Court.  While many see him as a widely respected “professional” the more accurate view should be as a professional that cashed out ethically many years ago.  The “truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth” concerning Bruce E. Mapes, PhD will come out and many will be shocked.

The information that follows are the exact questions that Dr. Mapes asked of me during the course of my child custody evaluation and in the exact order in which they were asked.  Names have been changed to protect the innocent.  In some areas I have added a direct quote from his Report an insert to emphasis the point of how Dr. Mapes twists and turns information to the point where it becomes dishonest and false reporting on his part.

Interview questions posed by Bruce E. Mapes, PhD during a child custody evaluation.

You live at —- (My Response: No) Lets see, you had indicated that…you are thinking of moving. Did you move? (he wrote me at the new address to schedule this interview)

Ok, now Mr. JONES since you originally turned your things in. Since you turned everything in, ah, last year have there been any changes in the custody arrangements or where are they as of today? (My response:  Nothing has changed)

OK…let me ask you about the current arrangement as it exists right now…ah…and not knowing what changes may have occurred over the summer, fall or winter, what…ah…um…what about the current arrangement is working or not working?

How much time now does JUDY actually spend with her mother?

And, ah…JANE.  She is still with the mom, correct? Ah, how often does she see you?

Ah, does, is the visitation such that the girls are together?

Why do you feel that you and the girl’s mother have not been able to work this out? Yup, that’s what I’m asking for? Don’t go too fast (laugh) (Thought to self:  I want to know why you can’t keep up, it’s all written in the materials I submitted in advance of this interview.  Did you bother to review the papers?)

Mr. Jones you had indicated, that, you have given several issues in the relationship, that, such as You had given several issues about the relationship and marriage, Mary wanting to, ah, have a higher lifestyle than you thought you could afford, her wanting to be a stay home mom, ah and I guess some disagreements about finances.

Would that be fair to say? (Mapes Report states that I didn’t share anything about the marriage – so how was it that Mapes was able to form this question?)

Now, if you were to prioritize those, how would you prioritize those in terms of what went wrong in the relationship? Dr. Mapes, I thought this evaluation was about my parental capacity and my ability to bond with my children.  Is this an evaluation about my past failed relationship? Well, No.

What I need, need to thoroughly understand is what it in your relationship with the mother that may need to be addressed or something so that you can try to work together concerning the kids.

Do financial disagreements continue today around the care of the kids?

Now in general how would you describe your home? (My Response: I have a three bedroom TOWNHOME consisting of a living room, dining room, kitchen, powder room and laundry downstairs and  three bedrooms and a bath upstairs.)

What, is it two floors?  (Was he at all listening)

Now, now Judy is at SCHOOL NAME, correct?

How is she doing academically, right now?

Now Jane is at SCHOOL NAME? (My Response: NO)

And she is in what grade, again?  (It is interesting that Mapes says in his materials that he review the case materials several times prior to the interview.)

How is she doing in school?

Now, how do you provide religious training to the children?

Where do you take the children for medical care?

And what are you medical concerns about either child?

Who do they go to for dental care?

Do you have dental concerns for either?

Ah, Ok now you are currently employed by the Name of employer. (My Response: NO)

I have to ask you what is that.

What is it that you do for them, I don’t need to know everything single thing, I’m just trying…

Do you have to travel?

So you work from home?

So you have an office?

And where is it located?

And what hours do you work?

And do ah, you, well, are, like when the kids have vacation from school, how do you arrange for child care for them?

Ah let’s see here, is Judy still getting up at the same time?

Have there been any changes in her routine?

What do you do at this point, if anything different concerning discipline when necessary? (Please repeat the question) At this point in time what do you do for discipline if necessary?

As of today what would you say Judy’s strengths are?

What would you say are her primary weaknesses

What are the primary positives of Jane?

What are her primary weaknesses?

Besides sport what are Judy’s primary interests?

And how about Jane?

What are the things that you yourself enjoy most with Judy?

Ah, what are the things you enjoy doing the most with Jane?

Ah, I need to, are you still seeing Dr. Snead?

Ok. Ah you had indicated that,  is that for medication management.

Ah in the historical materials where you discuss medication management

Ok. What are your current medications?

Do you currently drink alcohol?

Any drugs other than medication?

As I recall from the history that you don’t have any concerns about mom in that area.

Ah you have no concerns about either girl concerning domestic violence anything of that type, correct?

Now, what are the things that arouse anger in you?

Ok.  Ah, what are your concerns ah, about the mother’s anger management?

Have you ever been arrested for anything?

Has the mother?

OK.  Are you currently involved in a relationship?

Would you see yourself getting into a relationship?

OK.  What are the things that you do to support the children’s relationship with their mother?

What would be the pros and cons about the girls living with you half time and their mother half time.

Ok, What do you do that their mother cannot.

Ok, what is it that you can give them that mom can’t?

What is it that mom can provide that you can’t.

Are you on any medication currently? (My response: it in the materials I submitted prior to this interview) I have to go back. (Shuffle papers), Well you know you can’t find anything when you need it. (What, he could not find it!)

Is Judy still in counseling?

Oh, Ok (Flip pages), Mr. Jones (long pause more page flipping) there’s mention. What were, there’s reference made, and I’m not sure if it’s relevant or not so I need to understand your perspective.  There’s some conflict between you and Mary’s mother, I need to understand your perspective.

Were there any problems between you? (Dr. Mapes I thought this evaluation was about my parental capacity and my ability to bond with my children.  Is this an evaluation about my past failed relationship?)

Ok

Ok, what I am going to be doing is to take you down stairs to complete the MMPI.

My question: DR. Mapes, was the MMPI specifically designed for use in custody evaluations. Mapes: Yes it’s a routine clinical instrument that (I cut off) My question: And there are specific norms that address parental capacity and one’s ability to form and maintain a parental bond with one’s children?

Mapes: There are some parts, Yes, yes.  If there are certain kinds of parental issues, then yes.

My question:  And you have norms that address age and gender and parental capacity seeking custody of  kids my age?

Mapes: Yes we do. My question: So Dr. Mapes – your saying that norms exist for male persons 42 years old seeking custody of two female children aged 9 and 13.

Mapes: Yes, it’s a routine clinical instrument. Dr. Mapes – come on do you expect me to believe that.

Yes, one of the things I have to address (in child custody evaluations) is current mental health functioning.  I have to answer that on every parent I see.

Dr. Mapes – that’s not what was asked.  Mapes: Look if you don’t want to take it you can leave.  I’ll report to the Court that you refused to take it.

Specific Instructions given by Dr. Mapes for taking the MMPI.  Ok, what you want to be doing is just reading each of these questions and marking it true or false for yourself. For example:  I like mechanics magazine, OK. When you finish one page, go to the next and keep going till you do all the questions.  Now as you can see the instructions are right here.  As you are finished, I’ll ask you to put your information right here. Sometimes, peoples ask what the author means, it how you interpret the question.   Be as candid as you can, I do not look at each individual item, it just produces the overall profile.  OK?  My question:  And when I’m done?

You can leave it right here on the table. (unattended) I don’t need to check back with you?  No.

These are the very insightful questions that a highly skilled psychologist and seasoned child custody evaluator put together to assess my parental capacity and to determine if I am capable of forming and maintaining a bond with my two children.  From these interview questions he would advise the Court if I was able to enjoy custody and visitations with my children.  I hope you can see just how bogus Dr. Mapes interview process is and that anything he writes is concerning custody is highly suspect.  His final report was replete with errors of fact (even though the facts were submitted in writing), significant falsifications of what I said, and significant omissions of facts in favor of the other parent.  His recommendations were inconsistent with current clinical literature and dare I say inconsistent with the education that he provided (handouts bear his name) to the members of the Chester County Family Court division.