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

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

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychology

VOLUME=Volume 15 - 2024

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1444321

DOI=10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1444321

ISSN=1664-1078

ABSTRACT=This 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. Method: Two 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. Results: The resulting 12-item instrument has been shown to have a two-dimensional structure, invariant for both parents, with high psychometric solidity. Discussion: The 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.