Frontiers in Psychology (Aug 2024)

Lawyer-client relationship in divorce proceedings: development and validation of a new instrument

  • Ana Martínez-Pampliega,
  • Susana Cormenzana,
  • Ma Carmen García-Garnica,
  • Inés Pellón-Elexpuru,
  • Laura Merino

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1444321
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 15

Abstract

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IntroductionThis study is based on the paradigm of collaborative law and the current absence of instruments that evaluate the lawyer-client relationship as a function of the needs of the family system. The objective was to construct and validate an instrument, conceptualizing the lawyer-client relationship as a helping relationship.MethodTwo groups of experts and 239 parents (58% mothers and 42% fathers), users of Family Visitation Centers, participated in the study. The content, construct, and criterion validity of the instrument, as well as its invariance for both parents, were analyzed.ResultsThe resulting 12-item instrument has been shown to have a two-dimensional structure, invariant for both parents, with high psychometric solidity.DiscussionThe LCR scale seems to be a valuable and effective measure for use in a legal context, with important correlations with the parents’ psychological well-being, leading to a promising and relevant instrument for the holistic approach to the divorce process.

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