Parental alienation describes a situation in which a parent attempts to manipulate or influence a child to view the other parent negatively or take sides in disputes between parents. These actions can take place during a bitter divorce or child custody battle. This behavior can have a detrimental impact on a child’s relationship with both of their parents and their overall well-being. In fact, parental alienation can be so detrimental to a child that it is considered child abuse in some cases. A parent will need to understand how they can address this type of behavior by an ex-spouse or ex-partner, and they may need to take legal action to ensure that their child’s best interests will be protected.
What Exactly Is Parental Alienation?
Parental alienation can take many forms, including speaking negatively about the other parent in front of the child, limiting contact or visitation with the other parent, or falsely claiming that the parent has engaged in abuse or neglect of the child. The purpose of parental alienation is to create a sense of loyalty or alliance with the alienating parent and damage the other parent’s relationship with the child. A parent may purposely engage in alienation in hopes of influencing decisions about child custody, or they may act in ways that harm the child’s relationship with the other parent, such as by blaming them for the couple’s divorce, complaining about their behavior, or undermining their authority when addressing child-related issues.
How Parental Alienation Can Affect Children
Parental alienation can have a profound and long-lasting impact on a child. When subjected to relentless negative comments about the other parent or other behaviors that cause them to unfairly favor one parent over the other, children may develop a distorted view of reality. This can lead to feelings of guilt, shame, and confusion, as well as a damaged sense of self-worth. Children who are unable to have positive relationships with both parents will often suffer emotionally, and they may encounter struggles in their home lives, their relationships with friends and family members, and their education.
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