Parental alienation is when psychological manipulation by one parent causes a rift between a child and the other parent. This can come about through undue influence by one parent to tarnish a child’s perception of the other parent.
This dynamic is all too common in contentious divorce scenarios. However, this situation is more than mere family drama. It is actually a form of child abuse.
A basic definition of child abuse
A characteristic of child abuse is any action that results in harm or potential harm to a child’s physical or emotional well-being. Whether physical or emotional, an action is abusive when it intentionally interferes with healthy childhood development.
Why parental alienation is child abuse
Parental alienation equates to emotional abuse because it involves psychological strategies that create fear, hostility or disrespect within the child toward the other parent. These tactics may lead to the child having unjustified resentment or fear towards that parent, which manifests in refusal of contact and loss of relationship. This disruption of a parent-child bond can have cascading negative effects on the child’s emotional and psychological growth.
Like other forms of emotional abuse, it can also lead to significant developmental problems. It might even put the child at a higher risk for mental health disorders, such as depression and identity issues. These impacts are not necessarily immediately visible and may manifest over time, complicating detection and intervention.
Signs of parental alienation
The behaviors that constitute parental alienation involve constant badmouthing of the other parent, limiting contact, erasing the other parent from the life of the child and forcing the child to reject the other parent. A child may express confusion, guilt and anxiety as a result. Inconsistent behavior toward a parent or a sudden drawing away without good reason may be evidence of parental alienation.
While each case varies in severity, responsible adults should not take the signs of parental alienation lightly. Such awareness and recognition can pave the way for appropriate interventions to protect the psychological health of the affected children.