Gender and experience as factors in professionals' perceptions of false allegations of child sexual abuse in the context of child custody

This study examined the role of professionals’ gender and experience in professionals’ perceptions of false allegations of child sexual abuse in the context of custody/visitation disputes. Questionnaires were used to assess relationships between perception and professionals’ gender and experience. Respondents included attorneys and judges from the state of Tennessee. Results indicated that male professionals are apt than female professionals to believe that mothers are more likely to make false allegations of child sexual abuse against fathers in the context of custody/visitation disputes than in other contexts. In addition, greater experience with cases of child sexual abuse was associated with higher estimates of the percentage of mothers who knowingly make false allegations of child sexual abuse against fathers more in the context of custody/visitation disputes.