Because of specific stressors, assessment of a few special family situations deserves discussion. Marital Conflict Custody disputes and unresolved issues from divorce, along with the children s confusion and desire for both parents to be with them, set the stage for children to be used as pawns. Consequently, the crisis worker must be diligent in monitoring his or her feelings and in neither identifying with nor rejecting any family member. This is particularly true for one with similar experiences in his or her own past or a current marital conflict. The same holds true for a crisis worker who was in a divorced family as a child.
Marital separation is said to be more painful than the death of a spouse.
The grieving process, related to the separation and loss, needs to be encouraged by crisis workers. Social involvement with other people is of benefit after separation in order to move outside one s sense of loss and feeling of poor self-worth. On the other hand, crisis workers must consider whether abuse has occurred, even when investigative workers have indicated that accusations are unfounded. In the face of rejection and unmet emotional needs, a parent may sexually abuse a child. The crisis worker can get the most objective information from children by listening and observing family interactions over extended periods of time.